Favourite Albums

This topic is for all those who listen to music in album form! (Excluding greatest hits as well, but allowing live albums). I know that not many people listen to an album in full-form anymore, but for all that do, this is a tribute to you. It’s important to listen to an album from side one to side two, because oftentimes there are songs that are so challenging, that they literally require 50 listens to like. On Beck’s Sea Change, there were two songs that did exactly that for me. So, after much debate with myself, and constant rearranging of ordering, I have come up with a list of 5 albums, that if you were to listen to them enough, will blow your mind. Literally, your head would explode. In any case, here is my list, a most lovingly compiled list. If you don’t have a top 5, that’s fine, put up just your favourite, or your top three, whatever.

  1. Brian Wilson/Beach Boys - SMiLE

I came to love the Brian Wilson version, done in 2004, when his voice has lost a lot of it’s kick, with the Wondermints, but I found it difficult to listen to at times. However, my brother discovered an amazing compilation done by the Beach Boys in the 60’s, which isn’t as complete as the Brian Wilson version, likely because of Brian Wilson’s fast-developing psychosis, which reaches levels that the 2004 version could only dream about. The Beach Boys’ version is much easier to listen to. Because the Beach Boys’ version isn’t sold, I have a copy of the unreleased version of it, if anyone feels outgoing enough to try her out.

  1. Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

This album changed me, and the way I saw the world. It’s hard to describe, but this album made me see the world in different perspectives that I hadn’t realized before hearing this album 40 times.

  1. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter

I’ve listened to this album more than almost any other one of mine. It is so musically deep, that 50 listens into it, I was still realizing new rhythms that I’d missed before. Like SMiLE, this is one of the more difficult albums to get into, but I find that the ones that are difficult to like are also the best albums to be heard, because they challenge the listener, and make listening an active, rather than a passive, exercise. Give it 15 listens before you judge it, as this one requires patience.

  1. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Now, this album is incredible. It could be called the perfect album, very easily. My favourite song is on this album, Thunder Road, which, along with Surf’s Up on SMiLE, are the only two songs that regularly bring tears in my eyes when I listen to them, just because of the meaning they have to me. It is a very summer-esque album, fast paced, and enjoyable album to listen to. What happens with this album, is that it’s easy to like, but it has to be listened to 70 times to get the full meaning from it. Backstreets, off of this one, has incredible lyrics about two friends who slowly separate from each other. Bruce is in his prime when he wrote this album.

  1. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust

I listened to this album about 70 times. A concept album at it’s finest, this is just an album to listen and enjoy. It took me around 8 listens to like this.

In any case, this is my list. If you are to try any, good luck, and happy listening!

Here’s a selection from the lately top 5. I like just too many albums, in too many different ways, to make a definitive list. So enjoy the latest selection of my musical taste! :cool:

  1. Bauer - En otra ciudad

Psychedelic rock, indie band from Argentina. It’s one my only exceptions to music in Spanish, and it’s my favourite album of all times (the other exception, surprisingly, is #4 in this list). The second album of a band which I only know because I’m friends with the guitarist, they are among the best I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. This album draws heavily from an on the road imagery, which couldn’t be more appropriate for people from the country of Che Guevara and the continent of Kerouac. It’s a jewel, and a recommended listening to anyone, everyone.

  1. Rob Dougan - Furious Angels

A fresh reconstruction of the classic sonata form, this concept album is structured like an ancient tragedy, while making some dead good acid trip hop with elements of classic and romantic music. Sounds a bit to nerd or conservative for you? Well, these songs have made to the Matrix trilogy’s soundtrack. Don’t say no to it without listening first.

  1. Nouvelle Vague - Bande à Part

  2. Gotan Project - Lunático

  3. 4 Non Blondes - Bigger, Better, Faster, More!

Hmmm, interesting that I have never heard of any of those albums, hahaha. I’ll try your number one :cool:

in no praticular order;

Ys - by Joanna Newsom
Ys, pronounced ees, is an album consisting of five very very long songs. Joanna Newsom does vocals and plays harp, and Van Dyke Parks conducts the hallucinitory background orchestra. The songs are long, beautiful, poetic ballads. I really do not know how to describe this music, you just have to listen for yourself.

Song Cycle - by Van Dyke Parks
Bluegrass meets classical meets broadway meets psychedelic rock. This guy did most of the lyrics for the Beach Boy’s SMiLE, he has collaborated with Brain Wilson on several other projects.

The Aeroplane Over the Sea - by Neutral Milk Hotel

Spry from Bitter Anise Folds - Fifths of Seven
Experimental, classical drone music. A trio of mandolin, cello, and piano(sometimes accordion).

In no particular order also:

  1. Fuel: Something like Human
    (The best voice i’ve ever heard is the lead singer of Fuel,Brett Scallions. Too bad he quit :sad: . Perfect voice for any type of rock music)
    2.Alter Bridge: Blackbird
    (Mark Tremonti is a guitar GOD!)
    3.Switchfoot: The beautiful Letdown
    4.Fuel:Sunburn
    5.Switchfoot:Nothing is Sound

Yeah, those are my top 3 fav.Bands :grin:

Wow! I didn’t know Van Dyke had any solo stuff, that’s awesome. I am “receiving” it (albeit slowly) as we speak, hahahaha.

I saw this on wikipedia for the page with for his album: In response to the poor sales of the record after its release (despite some rave critical reviews), Warner Bros. Records ran full page advertisements suggesting that they “lost $35,509 on ‘the album of the year’ (damnit)”, suggesting listeners send in their copies of Song Cycle to Warner Bros. Records in return for a brand new copy, and a second; “one to educate a friend with”.

Sounds pretty ace. Thanks for the tip :happy:

no problem. check out “Orange Crate Art” if you have not already. Van Dyke Parks does all the arrangements and Brian Wilson does vocals. Great album. Parks’ other albums are not as good as song cycle though. Parks and Wilson are going to release a new album, That Lucky Old Sun (A Narrative), recording of the album started on Jan 18, 2008.

I just started listening to Song Cycle. :happy: Man, it’s fun to listen to, but sometimes I need to go back and listen to a song again. There’s so much going on that I feel like a missed something, and need to listen to it again. Is it Van Dyke Parks that is singing? I like the echo and the general sound of the voice. This is a very new sound, altogether, thanks for recommending it.

yes van dyke parks does vocals.

oh and btw, danger mouse is to produce(i think hes producing, at least collaborating in some way) on parks’ new album.

I listen to a few.
My favorites include:
Nonpoint : Vengence
Breaking Benjamin: Phobia
Nickelback: All the Right Reasons

Powerman 5000 - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Vol. 1

Well, my favourite band so far, and this album is their rare and unreleased stuff from between 1991 and 1999. It’s a very good album, with some amazing music, especially if you like the old sound of Powerman 5000.

Molotov - Apocalypshit

Mexican rap-metal at what I believe to be its finest. I don’t understand all of the lyrics, but the tunes are very catchy, and the sound is just absolutely brilliant. The part at the end of Rastaman-dita where Gringo Loco asks in english whether they’ve been fired yet is also an added bonus point in the album. Brilliant music with a good sense of humour, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Queen - Greatest Hits 1

It’s Queen. It’s their Greatest Hits. It has Bohemian Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Me Now, and Seven Seas Of Rhye. Do I need to say more? GO BUY IT!

Frank Sinatra - Tea For Two

I get a kick out of this album. Get happy and try a bit of that old black magic. Frank Sinatra at what may be his best. A lot of songs that even the young at heart will love. One to listen to night and day, and there’ll still be more enjoyment to be wrung from this album. It’s just one of those things. There’ll be blue skies a’plenty when you’ve got Frank on, this album will always be one for my baby, and one for the road. Brilliant album.

Extra points go to anyone who can spot the names of songs from this album in that brief description.

Spineshank - The Height Of Callousness

One word can describe this album… Amazing.

It simply is that, with lots of heavy indistrial metal, and clear techno influences, Spineshank have got it spot on with this album. Every beat and riff got my blood pumping, and my head banging to the rhythm. Definitely an album to reccomend to any fan of heavy metal.

But but but:

You disobeyed a direct order! hahaha, whatever man. I always thought the A Night at the Opera was their best album, in any case. If you like Queen enough to like their greatest hits, you`d definitely like A Night at the Opera. It is a notable album for us dreamers though, as the Prophet Song, was written by May, after hearing the song in his dream, and when he woke up, he wrote it down musically.

Cool that you like Frank, Ive never really done any of his stuff. I sometimes get turned off artists that dont write their own songs though. Singing the music is half of the journey, the first half is the making of it.

1: Radiohead - Kid A

KID A, KID A!!!
woo this album is super duper awesome.

2: PJ Harvey - Is This Desire?

Well PJ Harvey is super awesome.

3: Bjork: Homogenic

It has strings in it. And Bjork. ermmm its goooood. Very good.

4: Pulp - This is Hardcore

In the right mood this is a genius album but in the wrong mood it just seems bland. I think it’s a GRREAAAAT album

5: Radiohead - Amnesiac

I prefer the songs off of Kid A but this album has, as a whole, such an unsettling, disturbing atmosphere. its incredible.

Man, I’m a big fan of Amnesiac and Kid A. I used to listen to them so much. They got me through a difficult period, but it has a negative effect now: I can’t listen to either of them anymore without getting really depressed, hahaha. I liked Amnesiac more for some reason, though, I don’t know why.

Bjork though? I tried her debut album, but I haven’t been able to get into it. A good friend of mine loves her debut though, so maybe I should give her another spin :grin:

I don’t like Bjork’s debut either, and I don’t like much of Post (her second album) , but I really like Homogenic (the third). It’s got a sort of electronic-classical music thing going on. And glitch music, is that’s what I think it is.

P.S. I like challenging albums. They such seem alot more interesting, than all the bog-standard sorta rock/“inde” bands you get littered everywhere. I put “indie” in quotation marks because I have no idea what the hell it is. It used to be bands on independent labels but now its some sort of genre, which is to me really boring and generic. so yer.

And listening to albums in their full form is the best way to take music in. it’s like notes in music that make up a melody - the notes change their sound (for lack of a better description) depending on the notes surrounding it, and I think it’s the same thing with songs on an album.

Koleggah - Alphagene awesome technique
Dynamite Deluxe - TNT nice sound … altough sometimes the beats don’t fit 100 % to the voice …
Basshunter - LOL hehe ^^