Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktI’m taking a page from Ace of Spades,
What are the best whole albums? The one’s where every song is great. The author of the post listed the following:
“#1 Dark Side of the Moon, #2 Back in Black, #3 Led Zepplin IV, #4 Who’s Next, #5 Joshua Tree, #6 London Calling, #7 Van Halen, #8 The Cars, #9 Purple Rain, #10 Appetite for Destruction,, with Honorable Mentions to: Quadrophenia, Synchronicity, Making Movies, Los Angeles (X), Bloodletting, Pet Sounds, Armed Forces, Yellow Brick Road, Revolver, Holy Diver, Paulie’s Boutique, Hysteria, OK Computer, Violator, and In the Court of the Crimson King. “
Some I agree with and some I think are wrong. I would add (or substitute):
Allman Bros., Eat a Peach as well as
Live at the Filmore East
Led Zepplin, Led Zepplin II
Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bullocks
Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
AC/DC, Dirty Deeds
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pronounced
I’ll add more in the comments. Ace’s commenter’s skew younger than me, but there are some great suggestions in there.
What about your favorites?
Filed under: fun stuff |
All Things in Moderation 
Forgot,
Fleetwood Mac, Rumors.
LikeLike
Also Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead.
LikeLike
Ok, I’m going to add Led Zeppelin I as well.
LikeLike
Definitely ‘Making Movies’. Also ‘Hotel California’.
LikeLike
Not to be to obscure but I have to include Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers self-titled album.
Also, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Exodus.
LikeLike
Dire Straits – “Brothers in Arms”
Sting – “Dream of the Blue Turtles”
Dave Brubeck Quartet – “Time Out”
Miles Davis – “Sketches of Spain”
Willie Nelson – “Phases and Changes”
Weather Report – “Heavy Weather”
Jim Hall – “Concierto”
“Lyle Lovett and his Large Band”
Eagles – “Eagles”
Ray Charles – “The Genius of Ray Charles”
Dixie Chicks – “Taking the Long Way”
The better stuff on “Slow Hand” is terrific, but I don’t think the whole album stands up.
LikeLike
yello corked me: Hotel California #1a
Simon and Garfield: Bridge Over Troubled Water #1b
Don Williams (possibly): Harmony
Jim Croce: Photographs and Memories
Grover Washington (possibly): Next Exit
Pat Methany: Off Ramp
Garth Brooks: Garth Brooks and No Fences
Amy Winehouse (almost): Back to Black
There’s only one track on that album that I’m not crazy about, and since there are no other women on anyone’s list so far I’m going to include this one.
LikeLike
I should add that I don’t think live concert albums should be included in the same list. They are by nature “best of” albums unless they are unedited. “Eagles Live”, for example, is from two or thee different concerts. Even unedited, live concert performances are not concept albums or snapshots of the band at a time.
I know most of everyone’s choices and agree that the albums are strong. I like “Hotel California” (great concept album, gets played by me on every road trip) much better than “Eagles” but thought their first album deserved mention for being completely listenable too, if more laid back. I can karaoke “Take it Easy”, even now.
Aside from “Revolver”, both the Beatles’ movie albums were strong all the way through. Again, movie albums may not be fair to list. We drove from Austin to Denver on a lark after we watched “Help!”.
I loved “Joshua Tree” but “Large Band” was just better.
My favorite concert album is in fact the kind of compilation that demonstrates how unfair the comparison is. Eric Clapton played 24 nights at the Albert Hall, over two years, from which we got the album “24 Nights”.
Doesn’t count.
‘Goose, I remember Dionne Warwick singing all those Bacharach songs – enough for a great album – but I think they were all singles and not made into an album until they were compiled. Doesn’t count. So for me, “Tapestry” (Carole King) was a fine album but I no longer recall if every single song on it was good. I thought “Diva” (Annie Lennox} was a fine album, but no longer recall every song on it.
From another time, Frank Sinatra’s “Only the Lonely” was all good, but I don’t know how you can compare a crooner singing blues-jazz standards all written years before to a singer songwriter gem like “Quadriphenia”, “Revolver”, “Tapestry”, “Hotel California”, “Brothers in Arms”, etc.
By that standard, “Time Out” and “Heavy Weather” are incomparable, because the bands wrote them,
where “Sketches of Spain” and “Concierto” are adapted works.
LikeLike
Good points Mark.
Michi, I’d include Janis Joplin’s, Cheap Thrills, but point out Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie only seem to dramatize your point.
Best “whole” album is a tough category.
One final thing, it may at some point be useful to have a best live album thread.
LikeLike
David Bowie’s Hunky Dory is outstanding.
LikeLike
Yes, I am a guitarist and a metalhead:
Aerosmith – Toys in the Attic
Boston I
Deep Purple – Machine Head
GnR – Appetite for Destruction
Iron Maiden – Powerslave
Ozzy – Diary of a Madman
Pat Metheney – American Garage
Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime
Rush – Hemispheres
Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic
Van Halen I
Who – Quadrophenia
LikeLike
Brent,
Love all the suggestions, though I like Blizzard of Oz, as well as Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind.
I almost included Machine Head, just got lazy, great album.
No Robin Trower, Bridge of Sighs?
LikeLike
Brent beat me on Boston 1. The first side in particular is extraordinary–Peace of Mind has been a regular touchstone for me through the years. I’ll add a few others.
Brasil – Manhattan Transfer
One song hit the radio, Soul Food to Go. They’d worked with each other for years and it showed. What is remarkable to me is how strong the album is throughout. Metropolis evokes the cold city. Capim, song in Portuguese, has a good vibe. Agua is brilliant. Jungle Pioneer describes development of the Brazilian interior without being preachy.
90125 – Yes
This was the first CD I ever bought. It stands the test of time. I remember a particular moment in my freshman year in college. I was in a friend’s dorm room when “Leave It” came on the radio. We both looked at each other in amazement. How on earth did a song like that get on the radio? The album is solid throughout. My favorite song is Changes. Still speaks to me.
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Quite frankly, Pink Floyd could populate such a list. The Wall is a great concept album. Dark Side of the Moon was the greatest selling CD ever (don’t know if it’s ever been surpassed). Extraordinary work and I must note had Alan Parsons as the sound engineer. If I were to be objective, DSM would be my pick. Since I’m not, I’ll pick Wish You Were Here. I’d put I, Robot as an honorable mention.
Rubber Soul – The Beatles
As above, you could populate a list from the Beatles. I’ll pick this one. What is remarkable to me is how many of the songs I recognize. Norwegian Wood. Drive My Car. Nowhere Man. Girl. In My Life. Any other group would be happy to have one or two songs as good as any on this album.
Love Over Gold – Dire Straits
I’ll agree with Mark in that Dire Straits deserves a spot. I’ll disagree with him in that I would pick Love Over Gold as their best. Telegraph Road is a master work. That song could have been the anthem for the recent downturn, though is probably too long to ever hit the radio. Private Investigations is haunting. Industrial Disease has the right level of quirk. Only five songs, any of which would be an anchor to any other album.
Sensual World – Kate Bush
I first heard Kate Bush on Peter Gabriel’s masterwork, So. She song the counter part on the song Don’t Give Up. I joined a music club and picked this album. It is extraodinary. Out of the mainstream, but her voice chills and thrills.
I’ll add a few favorite compilation/live albums to the listings.
East Ashville Hardware – David Wilcox
Friends of my wife introduced me to David WIlcox. I’ve seen him perform live several times. Anyone who’s spent an hour fuming on the Beltway would sympathize with Blew ‘Em Away.
Tribute – Ozzy Ozborne
This album is a tribute to Randy Rhodes, Ozzy’s guitarist on Blizzard Of Oz, who died tragically in an airplane crash.
Garden State Soundtrack – Various Artists
This movie launched the Shins into the mainstream. It also introduced me to Frou Frou, a duo that included Imogen Heap, and Colin Hay, the former front man of Men At Work. He’s a terrific solo artist nowadays.
BB
LikeLike
Some onu list are on aces. But if asked my knee jerk is
London calling – the clash
Nevermind – nivrana
Add my vote to revolver and jousha tree.
And it probably wouldn’t make a list but I played the hell out of green days dookie. Still do.
So that’s my top 5. Which ignores a ton of great music
LikeLike
I agree with Nirvana, should have included it. I’d like to add the Dead’s American Beauty.
LikeLike
Lots of old man/person music on those lists. I own much of it. From more recent decades I would add:
Exile in Guyville – Liz Phair
Ruby Vroom – Soul Coughing
Post – Bjork
You are Free – Cat Power
Una Volta – DeVotchKa
And how could I forget the Violent Femmes debut album (Violent Femmes)?
LikeLike
Song for song, “Who’s Next” is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’ is also far and away a great album end to end.
I tell everyone the three must-have Eagles albums are ‘Greatest Hits’, ‘Hotel California’ and ‘The Long Run’. Too much filler on their earlier albums.
I would nominate Billy Joel for either ‘The Stanger’ or ’52nd Street’ but there are some clunkers on both those albums.
LikeLike
YJ – first one I absolutely cannot stand – I have barely ever enjoyed a Billy Joel song and any album of his would be torture for me.
Mike, I like your additions.
Have any of you ever heard Robert Cray’s “Strong Persuader”? In my top twenty, anyway.
LikeLike
My top ten would probably include a mix of ones already mentioned, but a few more for consideration:
What’s Going On (Marvin Gaye)
Thriller (Michael Jackson)
Ramones (Ramones)
Kind of Blue (Miles Davis)
Are You Experienced (Jimi Hendrix)
Straight Out of Compton (NWA)
Graceland (Paul Simon)
Nation of Millions (Public Enemy)
Yeah, I know. Old people music.
LikeLike
Interesting you can’t stand BJ, Mark? River of Dreams is a favorite album of mine. I also have one of his Best of collections. I remember when we moved from Boston to NoVa. I had to put it on so we could listen to Allentown while driving through Allentown.
I haven’t purchased many albums in awhile, but thought I’d add in a few recent works. These date from my Boston days. Dating is a good time to discover new music.
Alicia Keyes – Alicia Keyes
This is a stunner of an album.
Dizzy Up The Girl – Goo Goo Dolls
A fantastic album. There’s one or two songs at the very end that lose the energy, but that’s a slight blemish on their signature album. One lyric rings true to me: “See the young man sitting in the old man’s bar. Waiting for his turn to die.” Reminds me of a few watering holes that I’ve frequented.
Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi Trio
I could start playing this album on November 28 and let it go continuously until December 25.
BB
LikeLike
Mike – Good call on Graceland. The best concert I ever attended was Paul Simon’s tour for Rhythm of the Saints. About one third of the play list was from that album, one third from Graceland, and one third older material. Amazing seeing this small guy command such a large group. The Obvious Child (note edit) sounds quite different when the snare drum of the studio recording is replaced by 6 percussionists from Brazil going wild.
BB
LikeLike
BB – I saw that Simon concert on tour, too. Liked the concert. And “Rubber Soul” is almost as great as “Revolver”. And “Love over Gold” is excellent, but it only had four songs on it, right?
“Brothers in Arms” is like an hour long with no bad songs and some great ones. My fave on the album is “Your Latest Trick”, but it was not one of the huge singles. Of course my fave Dire straits song is still “Sultans of Swing”, which is among my top five single songs in history; depending on the time of day it could be my favorite song ever.
Cannot tell you why Billy Joel grates on me so – some of his songs sound like jingles, for sure, and maybe I hear him as a crooner trying to add a back beat to essentially Tin Pan Alley stuff.
I am trying to recall if I liked every cut on any of the early Santana albums. I may have. I don’t have them on CDs so its all from memory.
Los Lobos’ “Will the Wolf Survive” has no bad cuts.
I think Linda Ronstadt’s “Heart Like a Wheel” had no bad cuts, as well.
LikeLike
Forgot an honorable mention from 2012, Jack White’s Blunderbuss.
LikeLike
I’ve heard 3 songs from “Blunderbuss”. AOK. I’ll track down the rest on YouTube. Thanx.
This guy was with White Stripes, right?
LikeLike
Santana’s Abraxas is pretty solid start to finish. Yes, Jack White was 1/2 of the White Stripes.
LikeLike
Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi Trio
I could start playing this album on November 28 and let it go continuously until December 25.
How could I have forgotten this, Paul?! Yes, very, very yes!!
There was an artist who’s name is escaping me who did four “seasonal” albums (titled Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter); those were all very evocative of their seasons, and I seem to remember that “Fall” was one that I could play from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.
LikeLike
This may be as much a reflection on the time of my life at which the album came out, but I spent most of a summer listening to The Killers Hot Fuss over and over again from start to finish.
For something completely different, I like Bela Fleck Perpetual Motion. He plays classical music with a banjo.
Due to my tendency to like jam bands, most of my all time favorite albums are are live albums.
LikeLike
It’s hard to argue against Brothers in Arms. I agree with you on Latest Trick, Mark. One of the saxiest solos I’ve ever heard. Followed by a great song about war (Ride Across the River). Love Over Gold had five tracks. Telegraph Road and Private Investigations riveted me. Thinking about it, the final two tracks are good, but not up to the level of Brothers.
Goose – Are you thinking of the Fresh Air albums by Mannheim Steamroller? The first four albums each picked a seasonal theme. Fresh Air VII has a nautical jaunt to it that I always enjoyed.
BB
LikeLike
Paul–no, it’s not Mannheim Steamroller. . . . ah! Found it–he’s George Winston, and the first album I heard of his was “December”. It perfectly embodies that month.
LikeLike
Michi:
George Winston?
LikeLike
Corked.
LikeLike