Albums you think are perfect?

[stlcardsfan]

Doubtful most have heard of Son Volt, but their debut album Trace is a masterpiece.

[Peter_Spaeth]

American Beauty by the Grateful Dead is up there for me.

[Tom S.]

A few of mine have already been mentioned earlier, but here's a couple more that haven't:

Aerosmith - "Rocks"
Van Halen I
Genesis - "Duke"
Smithereens - "11"

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Crime of the Century was better, and makes my list.

There are a couple of gimmes listed thus far, IMO. Who's Next and Born to Run
can't miss, and I really see nothing wrong with Wish you Were Here, Blood on the Tracks and Hotel California. Also no objection here to Excitable Boy.

Personally I prefer Pretzel Logic to any other Steely Dan album.

Eat a Peach belongs, although Mountain Jam is just too damn long.

Talking Heads Stop Making Sense is an incredible live album, but Skynard, REO, and Cheap Trick are close.

If you're ever real introspective, Jackson Browne's The Pretender is amazing and list worthy.

Agree on Pretzel Logic. I think For Everyman and Late for the Sky are both better than the Pretender.

[HRBAKER]

Who's Next
Ziggy Stardust

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Mike D.

Oh man, I wore that cassette OUT on my walkman!

Picture this: Meadowlands early 90s. A hot summer day. Faith No More goes on at like 3PM opening up for Metallica and Guns n Roses. Of the three bands that day, Faith No More was the tightest.

[HRBAKER]

+1 for the mention of Blood On the Tracks
What an incredible end to end voyage.

"Idiot Wind, blowing every time you move your mouth..."

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

+1 for the mention of Blood On the Tracks
What an incredible end to end voyage.

"Idiot Wind, blowing every time you move your mouth..."

Have you heard the alternate takes? They're fascinating. The alternate take of Shelter From the Storm was used in the film Jerry Maguire.
My brother, girlfriend and I listed to the album endlessly when it was released. It was a revelation, stunning.

[guy3050]

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
The Who Who's Next
Super Tramp Crime of the century
Meatloaf Bat out of hell
Chris De Burgh Spanish Train and other stories

Honorable mention for live albums

The Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore east
B.B. King live at The Regal

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Jim65

That album was a classic.

A friend asked me if "the ballad of Jimi Hendrix" pissed me off because I'm a Hendrix fan.

Of course not! Its just so F_ funny!

[irv]

One that pops into mind right now is Neil Young's Live Rust.

Listened to this over and over in my teens/early twenties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udDI...SPZKg1&index=2

[Tripp Trapp]

Really fun thread! Here are a few of mine:

OK Computer -- Radiohead
Siamese Dream -- Smashing Pumpkins
Billy Breathes -- Phish

[Shoeless Moe]

Hole - Live Through This

[mcgwirecom]

Love this thread..mine would be....


Born To Run
Boston
Abbey Road
Back From Rio (Roger McGuinn)

[JollyElm]

1. It's a live album, but Alice in Chains "Unplugged" is just unbelievable. Layne Staley appeared (sounded?) so together.

2. Pink Floyd "Animals" and the line, "Ha ha, charade you are" from Pigs (Three different Ones) borrowed by an 8 year old kid on 'South Park' just makes me laugh hysterically.

3. John Hiatt "Stolen Moments" is some pretty sweet storytelling top to bottom.

4. R.E.M. "Automatic for the People" with "Nightswimming" and "Find The River" as the last two songs, it makes you long for some more melodic, moody tunes as the album ends. Beautiful stuff.

5. Speaking of Talking Heads, give "True Stories" a try. Some truly great music for a soundtrack.

6. Tom Petty "She's The One." Another soundtrack, it is a really cool and often pensive album.

7. Derek & The Dominos "Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs." A sick group of talented musicians at their very finest.

8. Dire Straits "Making Movies." So little time, so many hooks.

9. Absolutely Boston's first album, but give "Third Stage" a go. That sucker really grows on you. "Can'tcha Say - Still In Love" is a tremendous tune with Brad Delp wearing his heart on his sleeve.

10. U2 "The Unforgettable Fire." I describe it as the low speed bump on the way to "The Joshua Tree." The two albums have a shared magnificence, and they're the musical version of identical twins. Amid a plethora of kicking tunes, and as absolutely bizarre as it sounds, I freakin' adore the very strange "Elvis Presley & America" with its supposed backwards music from another one of their songs. Bono's emotions are crystal clear, even though you have no idea what the heck he's actually talking about.

[VoodooChild]

Cool thread! I agree with a couple listed already: Beach Boys - Pet Sounds and Beatles - Rubber Soul.

I would add:
The Sonics - Here are the Sonics
Television - Marquee Moon
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Gang of Four - Entertainment!
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Descendents - Milo Goes to College
The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
The Replacements - Let it Be
The Replacements - Tim

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

Cool thread! I agree with a couple listed already: Beach Boys - Pet Sounds and Beatles - Rubber Soul.

I would add:
The Sonics - Here are the Sonics
Television - Marquee Moon
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Gang of Four - Entertainment!
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Descendents - Milo Goes to College
The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
The Replacements - Let it Be
The Replacements - Tim

This is a man I can talk to.

[CW]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Stunned that Breakfast in America hasn't been listed yet.

Great, classic album, and one of my all time favorites from that era, but I feel that the album loses steam on the last few songs (after Take the Long Way Home). Personal preference, of course.

I'll throw in:

Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (I'm not a GnR fan by any means, but this albums flows really well and does not have a weak song)

Led Zeppelin - pretty much any of the first 4 albums

RUSH - Moving Pictures, Grace Under Pressure

Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb, Keasbey Nights

Béla Fleck - Tales from the Acoustic Planet

Chick Corea - Three Quartets, Friends

Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, Jean-Luc Ponty - The Rite of Strings

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Have you heard the alternate takes? They're fascinating. The alternate take of Shelter From the Storm was used in the film Jerry Maguire.
My brother, girlfriend and I listed to the album endlessly when it was released. It was a revelation, stunning.

No kidding, anytime my wife and I travel any length by car I subject her to the entire masterpiece at least 2-3 times.

Here is one of my favorite versions of Shelter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12rUOLtbQDk

[SAllen2556]

Live at Leeds - The Who
Murmur - REM
Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
Quadrophenia - The Who
Stone Roses
B52's
Live Europe '72 - Grateful Dead
At Carnegie Hall - Jimmy Reed

Live at Leeds you can put on - use headphones - and you won't be able to stop it until it's finished - best live album ever!

[Snapolit1]

Overdue shout out to REM. Great album.

Originally Posted by JollyElm

1. It's a live album, but Alice in Chains "Unplugged" is just unbelievable. Layne Staley appeared (sounded?) so together.

2. Pink Floyd "Animals" and the line, "Ha ha, charade you are" from Pigs (Three different Ones) borrowed by an 8 year old kid on 'South Park' just makes me laugh hysterically.

3. John Hiatt "Stolen Moments" is some pretty sweet storytelling top to bottom.

4. R.E.M. "Automatic for the People" with "Nightswimming" and "Find The River" as the last two songs, it makes you long for some more melodic, moody tunes as the album ends. Beautiful stuff.

5. Speaking of Talking Heads, give "True Stories" a try. Some truly great music for a soundtrack.

6. Tom Petty "She's The One." Another soundtrack, it is a really cool and often pensive album.

7. Derek & The Dominos "Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs." A sick group of talented musicians at their very finest.

8. Dire Straits "Making Movies." So little time, so many hooks.

9. Absolutely Boston's first album, but give "Third Stage" a go. That sucker really grows on you. "Can'tcha Say - Still In Love" is a tremendous tune with Brad Delp wearing his heart on his sleeve.

10. U2 "The Unforgettable Fire." I describe it as the low speed bump on the way to "The Joshua Tree." The two albums have a shared magnificence, and they're the musical version of identical twins. Amid a plethora of kicking tunes, and as absolutely bizarre as it sounds, I freakin' adore the very strange "Elvis Presley & America" with its supposed backwards music from another one of their songs. Bono's emotions are crystal clear, even though you have no idea what the heck he's actually talking about.

[Bocabirdman]

Lots of Great albums so far.....

How about....
Albert King..... Born Under a Bad Sign
Rolling Stones....Sticky Fingers
Kooper, Bloomfield & Stills.... Super Session.
Allman Brothers.... At Fillmore East
Grateful Dead..... Europe '72
Van Morrison..... Tupelo Honey
J Geils..... Blow Your face Out (Live)
Little Feat..... Waiting for Columbus
Bonnie Raitt..... Bonnie Raitt (self-Titled 1971 Debut)
Etta James.....Heart of a Woman
Muddy Waters.... Hard Again
Marshall Tucker.....Where We Belong
Buddy Guy.... Damn Right I've Got the Blues
David Bromberg..... Wanted Dead or Alive
Bob Seger.....Live Bullet
Frank Zappa..... Apostrophe
Jeff Beck..... Beck-Ola
Roy Buchanan.....Livestock

I am not out of recommendations, just tired of typing..........

[Tere1071]

Brian Eno's "Another Green World."
"From Brussels With Love" Compilation
Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"
John Coltrane "Live at Birdland" & "A Love Supreme"
Captain Beefheart "Trout Mask Replica"
Joy Division "Still" & "Closer"
Marvin Gaye "What's Going On"

[bbcard1]

I really do have a taste for all kinds of music, but one that is kind of out of the genres described here is Jagged Little Pill. My daughter and I really both enjoy it and it is solid front to back. I'm on the doormat of 60 and she's 22, but we both find it interesting and relatable. My playlist ranges from John Prine to Ozzy to 2Pac to P!nk.

[insidethewrapper]

Every Beatles Album. I never skip a song on any of them. Not many albums ,if any, were very good before 1964. How many singles do you have that you actually listened to the other side ? Only on The Beatles ( mostly double sided hits.. My dial is glued to Sirius Channel 18

[edjs]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

Cool thread! I agree with a couple listed already: Beach Boys - Pet Sounds and Beatles - Rubber Soul.

I would add:
The Sonics - Here are the Sonics
Television - Marquee Moon
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Gang of Four - Entertainment!
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Descendents - Milo Goes to College
The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
The Replacements - Let it Be
The Replacements - Tim

Crazy, I’m listening to Script of the Bridge as I am reading this thread, and just finished listening to Joy Division. I was going to list those and The Jesus and Mary Chain Darklands, John Coltrane Bluetrain, Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions, the Damned Machine Gun Etiquette ,Blackbird, Blackbird Boracay Planet, Niva Feverish Dream...man I could go on. I’m listing those just to share some maybe, how would you say, less thought of or known albums? I love many of the already listed stuff, spent a year in Iraq listening to David Grey almost daily. Très fun.

[VoodooChild]

Originally Posted by edjs

Crazy, I’m listening to Script of the Bridge as I am reading this thread, and just finished listening to Joy Division. I was going to list those and The Jesus and Mary Chain Darklands, John Coltrane Bluetrain, Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions, the Damned Machine Gun Etiquette ,Blackbird, Blackbird Boracay Planet, Niva Feverish Dream...man I could go on. I’m listing those just to share some maybe, how would you say, less thought of or known albums? I love many of the already listed stuff, spent a year in Iraq listening to David Grey almost daily. Très fun.

It's crazy how good Script of the Bridge is from start to finish. It was so good, they had nowhere to go but down. I don't own, but I did try listing to their next two albums but they are nowhere close. I agree with Darklands and Machine Gun Etiquette as well. I could also go on about lesser known albums. I'm listing to the Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady right now and would add it to the list. Would also add The Modern Lovers - Self Titled Debut, The Gun Club - Fire of Love, Husker Du - Zen Arcade, Radio Birdman - Radios Appear, etc., etc. etc....

I highly recommend anything from The Replacements. They really do have something for everybody. I guess they are best known as an Alternative/College Rock type band that sang "Bastards of Young" and getting kicked off SNL. But they started as somewhat hardcore Punk, had an experimental rock phase, and later developed a Ska type sound. They are really underappreciated for some reason. "Let it Be" is similar to "Scriprt of the Bridge". It's just a great album from start to finish.

[earlywynnfan]

I would like to agree with the cool kids above who mentioned Mindcrime from Queensryche and Don't Say No from Billy Squier.

For a totally oddball choice, there isn't a single album I listened to completely (no skipping) as much as I listened to Loudness' Hurricane Eyes. Very underrated band.

[Shoeless Moe]

Kid Rock - Devil Without A Cause

[mcgwirecom]

Also I forgot mention...

The Georgia Satellites

[riggs336]

I still play the first two albums I ever bought...and they are perfect.

"Here's Little Richard" on Specialty
"Jerry Lee Lewis" on Sun

I could name a hundred others, but you never forget your first.

[scmavl]

Lots of great ones on here. I think my top two would be jazz...

1. Bill Evans Trio - Portrait in Jazz

2. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

3. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

4. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

5. Beatles - Abbey Road

[commishbob]

The Moody Blues' Days Of Future Passed was a concept album meant to be listened to all the way through. Early Prog Rock, Orchestral Rock, whatever you want to call it. It got very mixed reviews but I loved it the first time I heard it in 1967/68 and still do. Saw them play it start to finish on their last tour and it still sounds great.

[Writehooks]

Four more that do it for me:

Welcome to My Nightmare, Alice Cooper
Alladin Sane, David Bowie
Diamond Dogs, David Bowie
Jailbreak, Thin Lizzie

[toppcat]

Here's ten of mine, mostly punk or punk-adjacent:

Bad Religion - Suffer
Descendents - Milo Goes To College
Leatherface - Mush
Idlewild - The Remote Part
Avail - Over The James
ALL - Mass Nerder
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
Justin Sullivan - Navigating By The Stars
Stuyvesant - Fret Sounds
Textbook - All Messed Up

[sbfinley]

The Beatles - Revolver
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin - Zoso
Radiohead - OK Computer
Sigur Ros - Takk...
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Jimmy Eat World - Futures
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head <-- I literally can't stand what this band has become, but this album (before they became shitty radio pop) is perfect from beginning to end.

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by riggs336

I still play the first two albums I ever bought...and they are perfect.

"Here's Little Richard" on Specialty
"Jerry Lee Lewis" on Sun

I could name a hundred others, but you never forget your first.

My first two...

Yesterday and Today
Are You Experienced?

That pair qualifies, I'd say

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

+1 Excitable Boy

+2 Excitable Boy (Linda's backing vocals are priceless)

- and another Zevon classic 'Werewolves of London'.


and I will add two more great albums:

Harry Chapin Greatest Stories Live.

Paul Horn - Inside the Great Pyramid
.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

I would like to agree with the cool kids above who mentioned Mindcrime from Queensryche and Don't Say No from Billy Squier.

For a totally oddball choice, there isn't a single album I listened to completely (no skipping) as much as I listened to Loudness' Hurricane Eyes. Very underrated band.

Billy Squier's 'Children of the Sun' was great for showing off your stereo speakers. (they used to be called that, you know)

[stlcardsfan]

I think Billy Thorpe did Children of the Sun. And you’re right it does have some cool effects.

Willie Nelson‘s Red Headed Stranger is a great record. It’s a concept album about a preacher going after his cheating wife and her lover. The most recognizable song on the record as probably Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain. But the whole thing is outstanding.

[Bocabirdman]

5 more ....just because.....

Carole King... Tapestry
Ray Charles...Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Genesis...The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Band...The Band
Buddy Holly and the Crickets...The "Chirping" Crickets

[pgellis]

Agree with many (Fleetwood Mac, David Gray, Pink Floyd, etc.)

Here’s 2 fantastic albums:

Shangri-La - Mark Knopfler
Sailing To Philadelphia - Mark Knopfler


Shangri-La might be my favorite album all time

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by stlcardsfan

I think Billy Thorpe did Children of the Sun. And you’re right it does have some cool effects.

You're right, it was Billy Thorpe. The "Children Of The Sun" album was just the first part of a rock opera which included Billy's "21st Century Man" album and then concluded with "Children of The Sun Revisited". According to what I've seen on the web, these songs are part of the trilogy.

The OFFICIAL track list for the Children of the Sun rock opera is as follows:

1: Children of the Sun (from "Children of the Sun")
2: We're Leaving (from "Children of the Sun")
3: We Welcome You (from "Children of the Sun")
4: Solar Anthem (from "Children of the Sun")
5: The Beginning (from "Children of the Sun")
6: 1991 (from "21st Century Man")
7: Solar Dawn (from "21st Century Man")
8: We Were Watching You (from "21st Century Man")
9: 21st Century Man (from "21st Century Man")
10: She's Alive (from "21st Century Man")
11: Rise (from "21st Century Man")
12: Earth Calling (from "Children of the Sun Revisited")
13: Turn It Into Love (from "Children of the Sun Revisited")
14: Free Enterprise (from "Children of the Sun Revisited")

[Exhibitman]

Boston's 1st album
Led Zeppelin 1-2-4
The Cars debut album
The Pretenders debut album
Revolution Radio by Green Day
Quadrophenia by The Who
In The City and All Mod Cons by The Jam
Singles Going Steady by The Buzzcocks
Shut Up And Play The Hits by LCD Soundsystem
Live at Budokan by Cheap Trick
Live Bullet by Bob Seger

[2dueces]

Originally Posted by jiw98

Neil Young, "Harvest"
Led Zeppelin, "Led Zeppelin IV"
Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon"
Just a few that came to mind right away.

Can't believe it took two pages to mention the Greatest Album of All Time.

How many albums stayed on the top of the charts for 15 years, 736 weeks?
DSOTM Pink Floyd.

[Seven]

One, that I'm sure not many would agree with, but that I have listened to over and over again, fully through, is Running on Empty by Jackson Browne.

I think he's also criminally underrated. His rendition of take it easy, is superior to the Eagles rendition in my opinion. For the longest time I didn't even know that Frey and Browne wrote the song together.

[carlsonjok]

A lot of mine have been mentioned, but a few others:

Southeastern by Jason Isbell
Sound & Fury and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music by Sturgill Simpson
Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Reckoning by R.E.M. - still remember where I was when I first heard it. It was at the old Record Archive location on Mt. Hope Blvd in Rochester. It was playing over the store sound system and it completely blew me away and I bought it immediately. More than that, it opened up a whole new world of music to me and opened me up to artists that I would have never been exposed to otherwise. It was literally the inflection point in my musical journey.

[ClementeFanOh]

Great call on Reckoning by REM! I'm a big Life's Rich Pageant guy too. Trent King

[familytoad]

Originally Posted by stlcardsfan

Doubtful most have heard of Son Volt, but their debut album Trace is a masterpiece.

This album took me a little time to warm up to.
But yes, it is VERY good!

Nice call...

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by 2dueces

Can't believe it took two pages to mention the Greatest Album of All Time.

How many albums stayed on the top of the charts for 15 years, 736 weeks?
DSOTM Pink Floyd.

To be honest, in my book DSOTM is in a class of one...anything else is "just an album".