Best Album/CD EVER

[cnorman18]

Just for laughs, how about we give some awards?

I propose a poll to determine the best rock/pop CD or album ever. Let's get some nominations in, say three to five each, and then I'll see if I can con somebody into doing a poll where we can each vote three (or five) times.

What I have in mind are the most innovative, groundbreaking or seminal albums or CDs ever, the ones that had the most impact on the music world. "Greatest Hits" albums and collections are OK, but I think the original works are more interesting.

Whaddaya say?

I'll start with my next post.

[Fallibleone]

I am getting the feeling that War of the Worlds never made it over there. I advise you all to GO AND BUY IT RIGHT NOW!!! NOW! No, don't bother putting your pants on - just go and get it now. The shops are shut? Well you're on the internet aren't you? Order it! Oh for f...well where did you have your card last?

Ahem. Anyway, I agree with Jagged Little Pill. On the face of it, the woman has a highly irritating voice, but if I attempt to imagine anyone else singing You Oughta Know, for example, it just doesn't work.

I have a Springsteen problem though. My husband absolutely loves him and has done ever since he was 6 or 7 - the back end of the Southside Johnny days. I really like the Jukes sound, but I find Springsteen just too much - see Born in the USA. Although I do think that the problem I have with him results from the way his music has been interpreted to death, which often has been completely incorrectly - as ineed was the case with Born in the USA. It actually contains a large amount of anti-US sentiment but was seized on in some quarters and taken for a highly patriotic number. I think my other half would put up Nebraska as his favourite Springsteen album - another concept album. It also contains one of my favourite Springsteen songs - Atlantic City - but I personally prefer his folkier efforts to his more commercial stuff, like The Ghost of Tom Joad.

This segues nicely into a suggestion which I know that no one will have heard of because it is very recent and very British, and so will be entirely unsuccessful as a 'best' album. But here it is anyway. Who knows, someone might be just interested enough to look them up.



They're called Bat for Lashes and their album is called Fur and Gold, and the reason I mention it straight after Springsteen is because it features an utterly haunting, pared down cover of I'm on Fire. She uses her instruments extremely sparingly, and the whole album is a collection of very dark and on the surface very simple songs which just induce the shivers. She utilises what I can only describe as a distinctly native American sound on I'm on Fire, (on the whole album actually) with occasional haunting backing vocals, but that really doesn't do it justice. I could only find some wobbly live vocals but still. Oh I hope someone looks it up.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_np_4oNfI

And here is some more of their stuff if you are intrigued:

Horse and I http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_8WzlZTzX ... re=related Please forgive the video - the enthusiastic rendering of some fan.

What's a Girl to do? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n1wnOUH2j ... re=related

Trophy: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vQsJXvC3RGM

The Wizard: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QRckY9N2sDA

While I'm whiffling on, how could I have forgotten Kate Bush? But which one? I'll go with:



Also worthy of consideration:

[Homicidal_Cherry53]

Finally, someone else recognizes its greatness. XD

[Fallibleone]

Oops I'm sorry Homicidal_Cherry - I had some mad idea that you had mentioned The Bends rather than OK Computer in your previous post. Goodness knows why. I'd actually say that both of them are right up there to be honest, so I'll mention The Bends again to even it up a bit.

[Homicidal_Cherry53]

No arguments here. They're both great albums. I've always preferred OK Computer, but at least someone else is mentioning Radiohead. XD

[Evales]

I've never really beeen a fan of The Bends, I tend to prefer Ok Computer and Hail to the Thief.

[Negative Proof]

If any concept albums are to be considered, I'd like to recommend-

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips.

Also, not really a concept album, but the best work (in my opinion) from a great band-

Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio

Another that fits the category-

Collective Soul by Collective Soul

and I'd like to second-

Ten by Pearl Jam

[cnorman18]

OK, 3 days in and here's the list so far, alphabetically by artist:

Funeral, Arcade Fire

Fur and Gold, Bat for Lashes

Abbey Road, The Beatles

Rubber Soul, The Beatles

Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Bright Eyes

Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Greetings from LA, Tim Buckley

Hounds of Love, Kate Bush

The Three Tenors, Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti

Collective Soul, Collective Soul

Promenade, The Divine Comedy

Hotel California, Eagles

Daisies of the Galaxy, Eels

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots , The Flaming Lips.

Rumours , Fleetwood Mac

A Trick of the Tail, Genesis

The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, Benny Goodman

American Idiot, Green Day

All Things Must Pass, George Harrison

Thriller, Michael Jackson

Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane

Blows Against the Empire, Jefferson Starship

Tapestry, Carole King

Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin

69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields

Days of Future Passed, Moody Blues

Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette

Nevermind, Nirvana

Will the Circle be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Ten, Pearl Jam

Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

The Wall, Pink Floyd

Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd

The Bends, Radiohead

OK Computer, Radiohead

Liquor in the Front, Reverend Horton Heat

Abraxas, Santana

Bridge over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel

Graceland, Paul Simon

Rhythm of the Saints, Paul Simon

Dirt Track Date, Southern Culture on the Skids

Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

Return to Cookie Mountain, TV on the Radio

Radio KAOS, Roger Waters

The Wall, Live in Berlin, Roger Waters

War of the Worlds, Jeff Wayne

Quadrophenia, The Who

Tommy, The Who

Fragile , Yes

This makes 50. I added Rubber Soul because I remember the jaw-dropping originality of it at the time - and to make 50. For the record, I am myself familiar with exactly half of them.

Any additions or corrections?

50 is a nice round number. Everybody ready? If so, I'll run the poll tomorrow.

Thanks!

Charles

[McCulloch]

Finally, someone else recognizes its greatness. XD

Based on all the fuss you guys are making, I got OK Computer last night. Had a listen today. It's good.

[McCulloch]

This makes 50. I added Rubber Soul because I remember the jaw-dropping originality of it at the time - and to make 50.

Good addition!

For the record, I am myself familiar with exactly half of them.

I am familiar with 31, if you count yesterday's purchase.

50 is a nice round number. Everybody ready? If so, I'll run the poll tomorrow.

How is it going to work? I cannot select the Best Album ever. It is just not possible. And it might be different a year from now.

[cnorman18]

This makes 50. I added Rubber Soul because I remember the jaw-dropping originality of it at the time - and to make 50.

Good addition!

For the record, I am myself familiar with exactly half of them.

I am familiar with 31, if you count yesterday's purchase.

50 is a nice round number. Everybody ready? If so, I'll run the poll tomorrow.

How is it going to work? I cannot select the Best Album ever. It is just not possible. And it might be different a year from now.

I dunno. You're a moderator: is it possible to run a poll where people can vote like 5 or 10 times? I'm thinking we might end up with a Top 5 or 10.

And why not do this every year? We're not going to carve it on stone tablets or anything.