Tell your mama, tell your papa! Everything gonna be alright!
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Dream Theater: Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory (A beautiful progressive rock/metal opera with a complex story and insane virtuosity in instrumental performances)
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Ayreon: Into the Electric Castle (The Human Equation sometimes overtakes this album on my list, but ItEC has been stuck there since the reissue a few years ago. The number of musical genres that are embraced by this album cannot be easily counted.)
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Transatlantic: Bridge Across Forever (the quintessential “album of epics”)
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Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime (the album that introduced me to progressive metal, though the band drifted from that genre two albums later)
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Flying Colors: Flying Colors (The pop album that leans towards my sensibilities. I reco the True Colors version as the remix/remastering made it better (freaking Loudness War))
Yes, three of those are rock/metal operas, which I think says a lot about me.
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Will just left the band this week. White Pony was mentioned here and Sergio Vega left a couple of weeks ago. He did a good job filling in for the late Chi Cheng on bass.
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In my opinion, the greatest albums of all time, in no particular order are:
London Calling - The Clash
Who’s Next - The Who
Revolver - The Beatles
Rubber Soul - The Beatles
Boston - Boston
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
The Velvet Underground and Nico - The Velvet Underground
Dire Straits - Dire Straits
2112 - Rush
Moving Pictures - Rush
The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Fire of Unknown Origin - Blue Öyster Cult
The Cars - The Cars
Murmur - REM
Synchronicity - The Police
Regatta del Blanc - The Police
Exodus - Bob Marley and the Wailers
Aja - Steely Dan
The Band - The Band
Tapestry - Carole King
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Nevermind - Nirvana
Purple Rain - Prince
Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings
Glass Houses - Bill Joel
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Various - Saturday Night Fever
Eliminator - ZZ Top
Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin
Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin
Strong Persuader - Robert Cray
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got any favs from the last 30 years?
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Today’s desert island five:
The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow
Secret Story - Pat Metheny
Ashes of American Flags - Wilco
Superunknown - Soundgarden
Eyewitness - Steve Khan
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Equilibrium - Sagas
Wildside - Under the Influence
WASP - The Crimson Idol
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
Testament - The Gathering
Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
Kiss - Alive II
Powerwolf - Blessed and Possessed
Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera
The Struts - Young and Dangerous
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AC/DC - Back in Black
Metallica - Metallica (Black album)
Garth Brooks - Double Live
Phantom of the Opera (motion picture soundtrack)
American Graffiti (motion picture soundtrack)
Def Leppard - Hysteria
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Funny, I was looking over my list and wondered, “Did I like anything from 2000 up?” Here’s what I came up with off the top of my head…
- Several:
Alice Cooper - Brutal Planet (2000), Dirty Diamonds (2005), Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011)
Helicopter, Helicopter - By Starlight (2000), Wild Dogs With X-Ray Eyes (2002)
Aimee Mann - Bachelor #2 (2000), Lost in Space (2002), The Forgotten Arm (2005)
Elliott Smith - Figure Eight (2000), From a Basement on the Hill (2004)
- 2000-03
Ween, White Pepper (2000) | Josie and the Pussycats, Soundtrack (2001) | Guided By Voices, Isolation Drills (2001) | Sparklehorse, It’s a Wonderful Life (2001) | Jimmy Eat World, Bleed American (2001) | Supergrass, Life on Other Planets (2002) | Damien Rice, O (2003) | Evanescence, Fallen (2003) |
- 2004-05
Modest Mouse, Good News For People Who Like Bad News (2004) | Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose (2004) | Arcade Fire, Funeral (2004) | Billy Idol, Devil’s Playground (2005) | Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005) | Death Cab For Cutie, Plans (2005) | And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Worlds Apart (2005) |
- 2006 to Current
My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade (2006) | Tom Waits, Orphans (2006) | Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Is Is (2007 EP) | Myracle Brah, Can You Hear The Myracle Brah (2007) | Lauren O’Connell, The Shakes (2009) | Devo, Something For Everybody (2010) | The Monkees, Good Times! (2016)
And it looks like the Monkees final album was the last thing I really liked, and that was over 5 years ago.
These are not these artists best albums, and not even my favorite artists, but ones I always go back to for background music. (I’ll not add soundtracks, best ofs and the copious amounts of anime in my collection)
Blues Brothers - Briefcase Full of Blues
Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Crowded House - Woodface
Daft Punk - Discovery
Deee-Kite - World Clique
Dream Warriors - And Now, The Legacy Begins
Foster the People - Torches
Genesis - We Can’t Dance
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Hall & Oates - Big Bam Boom
Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving
Kylie Minogue - Fever
Metric - Fantasies
New Order - Substance 1987 (technically a compellation, but chef’s kiss and the first New Order album for many.)
Paul Anka - Rock Swings
Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live (I once made a mixtape with a could tracks from this, and live performances from Genesis and Phil Collins solo tour… Loved that mix)
Queen - A Kind Of Magic
R.E.M. - Out of Time
Rush - Moving Pictures
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - Savvy Show Stoppers
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues
The Prodigy - The Fat Of The Land
The Police - Synchronicity
The Rolling Stones - Steel Wheels
The Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
The Who - Who’s Next
Well hell that’s over 25… I’ll leave it at that for now.
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I’ve stuck to one-per-artist, but there are several here who could easily have multiple entries.
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Here are my favorite albums since 2000…
The Age of the Understatement - Last Shadow Puppets (2008)
American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out - Yo La Tengo (2000)
Angles - The Strokes (2011)
Another Day On Earth - Brian Eno (2005)
Attack On Memory - The Cloud Nothings (2012)
Blackstar - David Bowie (2016)
Blunderbuss - Jack White (2012)
Clockwork Angels - Rush (2012)
Demon Days - Gorillaz (2005)
El Camino - The Black Keys (2011)
Electric Version - The New Pornographers (2003)
The Equatorial Stars - Brian Eno & Robert Fripp (2004)
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008)
Funeral - Arcade Fire (2004)
Geogaddi - Boards of Canada (2002)
The Information - Beck (2006)
Joy - Phish (2009)
Last of the Great 20th Century Composers - Princess Superstar (2000)
Lungs - Florence + The Machine (2009)
Narrow Stairs - Death Cab For Cutie (2008)
Neon Bible - Arcade Fire (2007)
Power Up - AC/DC (2020)
Rocket Science - Rick Springfield (2016)
The Room - Harold Budd (2000)
Sinner - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (2006)
Slave Ambient - The War On Drugs (2011)
Song Machine, Volume 1: Strange Timez - Gorillaz (2020)
Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes (2015)
Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem (2007)
St. Vincent - St. Vincent (2014)
The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (2010)
The Symbol Remains - Blue Oyster Cult (2020)
Turn On the Bright Lights - Interpol (2002)
Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) - XTC (2000)
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips (2002)
You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen (2016)
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The use of New Order and Joy Division is a bit contentious. Are they different bands when 75% is shared and they felt they needed to change their name to move on… I kept them separate but either view is just as viable.
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I went with the one-per-artist model (mostly), while also limiting the list to albums that I enjoy all, or all-but-one/two tracks.
I tend to re-sequence the majority of what I listen to, so let’s call these the albums that I’ve consistently enjoyed as-released, even if I’ve re-edited some later on for my own purposes.
In release date order (where applicable):
Sir Adrian Boult, “Philharmonic Promenade” Orchestra – Gustav Holst’s The Planets (mono, 1954)
The Beatles – Revolver (mono, 5 August 1966)
Bill Oddie – Distinctly Oddie (mono, 1967)
The Doors – Strange Days (mono, 25 September 1967)
The Moody Blues – Days Of Future Passed (stereo, 10 November 1967)
The Mothers Of Invention – We’re Only In It For The Money (mono, 4 March 1968)
The Beach Boys – Friends (stereo, 24 June 1968)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland (stereo, 16 October 1968)
The Bonzo Dog Band – The Doughnut In Granny’s Greenhouse (mono, November 1968)
The Monkees – HEAD (stereo, 1 December 1968)
Harry Nilsson – The Point! (stereo, late 1970)
Jethro Tull – Thick As A Brick (stereo, 3 March 1972)
Neil Innes – Taking Off (stereo, 1977)
The Goodies – Beastly Record (stereo, 1978)
The Rutles – The Rutles (stereo, March 1978)
Queen – Jazz (stereo, 10 November 1978)
DEVO – New Traditionalists (stereo, 26 August 1981)
King Crimson – Discipline (stereo, 22 September 1981)
Frank Zappa – You Are What You Is (stereo, 23 September 1981)
Mr. Bungle – Mr. Bungle (stereo, 13 August 1991)
Spinal Tap – Break Like The Wind (stereo, 17 March 1992)
dada – Puzzle (stereo, 8 September 1992)
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Poodle Hat (stereo, 20 May 2003)
Ginger Root – City Slicker (stereo, 20 August 2021)
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Yeah, it’s a little bit of a cheat, but I think they are musically distinct enough (post-Movement at any rate) to get a pass.
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All good. Again, either way of looking at it is just as valid. Is Van Halen with David Lee Roth the same band as with Sammy Hagar? Is Genesis the same band if Peter or Phil is out front?
That said I would think one of the most interesting what if’s in music were if the band had known and been able to help Ian, if they would have gone on that US Tour and how Joy Division would have grown after that point. Would they have continued on the style of Joy Division or the path that led to embracing electronic as New Order did? Would Bernard have also sang or would Ian always stayed out front? Would they have stayed together as they have or would we still have had a split of a different kind? Would the band have earned the level of success with Ian, or was his absence the spark that moved them forward?
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Really tough question. I soon realized I could never do just a top 10 so I tried splitting it into 2 top 10s for rock/pop and dance/electronica. That didn’t really work as there were albums on one list I wouldn’t put over albums I would have to omit from the other. So here’s a strict top 20, restricted to one album per artist. Even narrowing it to that is tough but it just comes down to asking yourself the question “which albums do I keep returning to?” While Joy Division’s Closer or My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless are among the very best albums I’ve heard they’re not really the kind of thing I put on often. It’s tough to cut them but I honestly don’t think I could count them among my most favourite albums.
My list is reflective of a few things. Firstly, that I was a teenager in the 90s. Secondly, that in the mid-2000s onwards I worked next to a music shop and was actively exploring and listening to music the most then. Thirdly that I was made redundant in 2013 so buying new music went out of the window. I never really got back into it as much and even now I have a tendency to stick more to artists I’m already familiar with.
In order of year of release:
- New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (1983). Technique is arguably a more confident and well-rounded album but I prefer Power where NO are really finding their identity post Joy Division. Your Silent Face is just magnificent but indicative that they were still coming to terms with Ian Curtis’ suicide.
- Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas (1990). Just an absolutely gorgeous pop album. On another day I might choose the equally gorgeous Treasure (1984) though.
- Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991). Acid house classic that has a dance sensibility but is pretty chilled. Perfect album to stick on after a night out.
- R.E.M - Automatic For The People (1992). Actually one of the first albums I bought and I listened to this so much during University. Despite the classic singles on the album my favourite track is Find the River.
- Orbital - Orbital 2/Brown Album (1993). The ~20-minute suite of Lush 3-1;Lush 3-2; Impact (The Earth is Burning); Remind is simply outstanding. Not only that but the disc also includes Halcyon+On+On, over of the finest electronica tracks ever produced.
- The Prodigy - Music For the Jilted Generation (1994). I had this on a copied cassette and listened to it all the time as a kid. The Narcotic Suite trio of tracks at the end is their best work IMO.
- The Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic (1995). Soft Bulletin is their masterpiece (Feeling Yourself Disintegrate!) but that Ronald Jones guitar sound is just so much fun to return to.
- Pulp - Different Class (1995). In mid-90s school playgrounds the question was “Blur or Oasis?” IMO Pulp and Suede were better Brit-rock bands with Different Class just edging out Dog Man Star (1994) here. Common People is simply the finest pop song of the 90s, especially the longer album version.
- The Verve - Urban Hymns (1997). Brit-rock with a dash of psychedelia, Urban Hymns is consistently excellent throughout.
- Yasunori Mitsuda & Millennial Fair- Creid (Xenogears arranged soundtrack) (1998). Going sideways a bit here for this beautiful arrangement of tracks from the 1997 videogame Xenogears.
- Doves - The Last Broadcast (2002). Difficult choice between their debut which contains Sea Song and the incredible Cedar Room but this follow up contains the incredible There Goes the Fear on top of many other great tracks.
- Bonobo - Dial ‘M’ For Monkey (2003). Downtempo classic that is super laid back but with some nice toe-tapping beats.
- Secret Machines - Now Here is Nowhere (2004). These Texan space-rockers are the best live band I’ve ever seen. Their proggy rock is underpinned by the monolithic kickdrum of Josh Garza who is sort of a cross between John Bonham and Animal from the Muppets. I don’t know if they’re even still together. Ben Curtis left before their third album and sadly died at only 35. They haven’t released anything since AFAIK.
- The National - Alligator (2005). I just slightly prefer this to Boxer. The Geese of Beverly Road is my favourite National track.
- Union of Knives - Violence & Birdsong (2006). This little known Scottish act only recently released a follow up to this. Exists in a similar, dark sound space as Massive Attack’s Mezzanine but with a hint of Ladytron and Radiohead.
- LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007). Somehow I avoided LCDS for quite a while which is odd as I was listening to a lot of music coming out of the post-millennium NY music scene. I was blown away when I finally did get to this masterpiece though.
- Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours (2008). Easiest pick here for me. The Australian synth-pop revivalists’ second full-length is simply my favourite album.
- Japandroids - Celebration Rock (2012). Canadian noise lords Japandroids may have a sh*t name but they’re a great band. Retaining the [Iggy and the Stooges] Raw Power inspired raw energy and brevity of their debut, Celebration Rock saw them step up their song writing game. Superb rock album.
- Frankie Rose - Interstellar (2012). More than a hint of the Cocteaus about Frankie’s dream-pop solo debut. Fun fact: I always name my ship in No Man’s Sky the Interstellar Rose.
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Nice choice!
My choice for this thread would be their previous album, The Return of the Space Cowboy.
Have you given that one a listen? Wall to wall grooves, that one.
Their didgeridoo instrumental track there, “Journey to Arnhemland,” is something amazing.
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In no particular order…
- The Cure - Disintegration
- Corrosion Of Conformity - Blind
- Metallica - …And Justice For All
- Prince - Purple Rain
- John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
- Anthrax - Among The Living
- Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
- Ministry - The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste
- Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
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