View Full Version : Top 10 Albums... ever
Firstly, apologies if this has been done before - I did search, but could only find a thread about listing one album you couldn't live without...
I've been thinking about this long and hard... I've mentioned (specifically about Zero 7's Simple Things) in other threads about an album being in my top 10 - but when push comes to shove, could I actually list my top 10 albums ever? Actually, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, although there were a few difficult choices. But, if a particularly nasty fairy arrived on the scene and said I could only keep 10 of my 3 - 4,000 albums, this would be my list. Today, of course it would change tomorrow.
The Who - Quadrophenia
U2 - Joshua Tree
Groove Armada -Vertigo
Zero 7 - Simple Things
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
Bran Van 3000 - Glee
Tina Dico - The Road to Gavle
Sam Brown - 43 Minutes
Faithless - Reverence
I was surprised how many of these are included because of sentimental rather than "critical" reasons, but isn't that what music is all about - touching your soul, and (as I've said before) is as much about a time and a place as anything else...
Anyone else care to have a go?
The Grand Wazoo
31-08-2010, 23:23
I was surprised how many of these are included because of sentimental rather than "critical" reasons, but isn't that what music is all about - touching your soul, and (as I've said before) is as much about a time and a place as anything else...
This bit is interesting Alex, because a while back there was a thread where people were listing some favourite albums of all time & when I contributed I struggled to make my list. So I settled for a twist on the original post. I elected to make a list of '100 Albums I'd Send a Martian Home With' because some things are more than just the music. For example, I think I said the aliens should get 'Music From the Big Pink' rather than the first album by The Band because it was more of an 'event' than an album.
Spppoooooky choice of Quadrophenia there - I've just finished watching the film only half an hour ago.
The Jam;sound effects
Neil Young and Crazy Horse; Sleeps with angels
King Crimson; Beat
Hawkwind; Levitation
Cocteau Twins; Treasure
John Coltrane; Africa Brass.
Low ; The Great Destroyer
Giles Peterson; Impressed/Repressed British Jazz comp.
Joan as Policewoman; Real life
Bjork; Vespertine
I'll have a go keeping in mind the theme is records that really resonate with you due to a time and a place - more important for us old fogey types than sheer musicianship I suspect. Anyways, top ten in no particular:
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin - Fourth Album/Led Zep IV/Four Symbols/the one after III
Neil Young - Tonight's The Night
Fatima Mansions - Viva Dead Ponies
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
Frank Zappa - Sheik Yerboutti
The Godfathers - Hit by Hit
Dire Straits - Making Movies
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
Bollocks that's ten already:doh:
I wanted Stone Roses.:steam:
I wanted Stone Roses.:steam:
Don't get your 'Sleeps With Angels' dude - bought it the day it came out thinking - 'Neil Young & Crazy Horse - that's gotta be good (bearing in mind his previous was the kicking 'Ragged Glory') but it sounds to me like they were all on Moggadon (or something stronger)...
Funny, not many people like that album but to me it was the last great album he did.
I live in hope the new one is back on track. Daniel lanois producing.
Isaac Hayes, Shaft, got bumped... Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, got bumped... Shit, even Miles Davis got bumped (no one's mentioned him yet, but sure they will!) As I said, tomorrow's list would be different, but thankfully this is just a bit of fun, and no nasty fairy step-godmother is really going to appear and buzz off with 99.9% of my music, is she? :eek: ;)
Stratmangler
31-08-2010, 23:56
I'll have a go keeping in mind the theme is records that really resonate with you due to a time and a place - more important for us old fogey types than sheer musicianship I suspect. Anyways, top ten in no particular:
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin - Fourth Album/Led Zep IV/Four Symbols/the one after III
Neil Young - Tonight's The Night
Fatima Mansions - Viva Dead Ponies
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
Frank Zappa - Sheik Yerboutti
The Godfathers - Hit by Hit
Dire Straits - Making Movies
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold
Bollocks that's ten already:doh:
The Zappa album is a superb eclectic mix, and a real showcase of Zappa's talents, if not of good taste lyrically - when the first line of the first song is "I have been in you, baby, and you have been in me" you know that you're in for a bawdy ride.:eyebrows:
The album does contain one of my favourite tracks - the fetishistically titled "Rubber Shirt", a track which sounds as though the two players were having a sensitive musical interplay session, when in actual fact nothing could be further from the truth.
The two players never met (at least on a session for Rubber Shirt), as the track is a composite of a drum part from one session, and a bass part from a completely differerent session and studio.
It took the genius of Zappa to link the hitherto unconnected parts and create this rather beautiful (if weird) music piece.
You've listed some great albums there Martin, but the Zappa is for me a real standout:)
I remember my first record shop being plastered posters of that Zappa album when it came out. Just brought the memory back.
Unfortunately i was to bothered about Siouxie Sioux to be bothered at the time.
You've listed some great albums there Martin, but the Zappa is for me a real standout:)
Hearing that album got me into Zappa - and a few others I've recommended it to as well:cool: A couple of the instrumentals are brilliantly concocted as you say - particularly the way the previous track links into them.
Ideally I like to time the start of listening to it so as to hit 'City of Tiny Lights' just as daylight starts to fade:)
DanJennings
01-09-2010, 06:14
I'll have a go...
Pink Floyd - Animals
Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Sound On Sound
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
XTC - Wasp Star
David Bowie - Hunky Dory
Bjork - Homogenic
Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever
The Cars - The Cars
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
but ask me again in an hour and I'm sure my answers would be pretty different.
I have no perment top 10 it changes all the time
I change music tastes more often than my underware.
Don't get your 'Sleeps With Angels' dude - bought it the day it came out thinking - 'Neil Young & Crazy Horse - that's gotta be good (bearing in mind his previous was the kicking 'Ragged Glory') but it sounds to me like they were all on Moggadon (or something stronger)...
Sleeps with Angels was the first NY album I bought. I thought it was great.
Good thread Alex.
Right now, off the top of my head....
Tears For Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
Tears For Fears - The Seeds of Love
U2 - The Joshua Tree
U2 - Achtung Baby
Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Radiohead - The Bends
Crowded House - Together Alone
Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
Simple Minds - New Gold Dream
I know there's 2 each of Tears For Fears and U2 but I just couldn't leave those albums out. I could've also added another Radiohead and Crowded House.
I could easily make another top ten!
The Grand Wazoo
01-09-2010, 12:07
An impossible question, but if forced to answer right here, right now, it would be:
Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez and the Fantasia para un gentilhombre.
Kelly Joe Phelps – Lead Me On
Dexter Gordon – Go!
The Boo Radleys – Giant Steps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Love – Forever Changes
Mark Lanegan – Field Songs
David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust
Albums, each of which could just as easily have replaced any of the above:
The Doors – first album
Led Zeppelin – I
One album by FZ? – There's not a chance that I could settle on any one single record!
Like most mine would be a moveable feast, but more than half of the below would appear consistently on any list of mine
Rory Gallagher - Photo Finish
Queen - Queen II
Tangerine Dream - Force Majeure
Black - Are We Having Fun Yet
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
AC\DC - If You Want Blood You Got It
Chris Rhea - Auberge
Joe Bonamassa - Sloe Gin
Neil Young - After The Gold Rush
Rainbow - Rainbow Rising
Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
The Zep album was a tuffy as I also really rate "Presence" and the at other times "UFO's-Strangers In The Night" may replace AC\DC as my favourite live album.
Reid Malenfant
01-09-2010, 17:06
Most difficult indeed :eyebrows:
Pete Namlook & Dr Atmo - Silence
Biosphere - Polar Sequences
The Clash - London Calling
Em:t - 0095 Gas
Legion - Shapeshifting In Abalone
Guardians Of Dalliance - Diffusion Rooms
Jeff Waynes' - War Of The Worlds
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Pete Namlook - Solarized
Ask me another time & most will still be the same ;)
For example, I think I said the aliens should get 'Music From the Big Pink' rather than the first album by The Band because it was more of an 'event' than an album.
Point of order: 'Music From the Big Pink' was the first album by The Band.
OK, so in no particular order, and limiting myself to one album per artist:
The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Stooges: Fun House
The Rolling Stones: Exile On Main Street
The Band: The Band
The La's: The La's
The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead
Big Star: Radio City
Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde
The Beatles: Revolver
Half Man Half Biscuit: This Leaden Pall
Most difficult indeed :eyebrows:
Pete Namlook & Dr Atmo - Silence
Biosphere - Polar Sequences
The Clash - London Calling
Em:t - 0095 Gas
Legion - Shapeshifting In Abalone
Guardians Of Dalliance - Diffusion Rooms
Jeff Waynes' - War Of The Worlds
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Pete Namlook - Solarized
Ask me another time & most will still be the same ;)
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Good one. That nearly made it into mine. In fact I was listening to the new deluxe edition I received for my birthday last week earlier.
I think The Last Word is a beautiful piece of music.
Reid Malenfant
01-09-2010, 17:51
Propaganda - A Secret Wish
Good one. That nearly made it into mine. In fact I was listening to the new deluxe edition I received for my birthday last week earlier.
I think The Last Word is a beautiful piece of music.
Yep, i'll agree with that :)
You will most certainly recognise this then :eyebrows: My right arm :)
2535
Done entirely freehand about 1988? :scratch: Not by myself i might add :lol:
Back to the thread... That's one album that would stay in the group of 10 ;) Happy belated birthday btw :)
The Grand Wazoo
01-09-2010, 18:06
Point of order: 'Music From the Big Pink' was the first album by The Band.
I knew that ......... and I'm an idiot
Yep, i'll agree with that :)
You will most certainly recognise this then :eyebrows: My right arm :)
2535
Done entirely freehand about 1988? :scratch: Not by myself i might add :lol:
Back to the thread... That's one album that would stay in the group of 10 ;) Happy belated birthday btw :)
Wow, you must've been a huge fan. Did you follow Claudia Brucken's solo stuff too? I particularly like Kiss Like Ether b side I, Dream.
Gentle Giant
17-09-2010, 07:48
This wasn't easy but here u go :cool:
Rush - Grace Under Pressure
Ozric Tentacles - Arborescence
Camel - The Snow Goose
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Hawkwind - Warrior on the Edge of Time
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
King Crimson - Red
Frank Zappa - So many, I can't decide.
Gentle Giant - In A Glass House
Steely Dan - Aja
Rare Bird
17-09-2010, 07:49
Hawkwind - Warrior on the Edge of Time
:cool:
Rare Bird
17-09-2010, 07:59
Not my Top Ten (Pre '73) Choices, but Ten i like to listern to a lot, in no particular order mindst
Big Sleep - Bluebell Wood
CMU - Open Spaces
Gravy Train - Ballard Of A Peaceful Man
King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
Locomotive - We Are Everything You See
Spring - Spring
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus
Still Life - Still Life
Czar - Czar
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