Your Favorite Albums? (Top 10 & Honorable Mentions List)

Lazario · Post by **Lazario** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:30 am

I searched and ... well, there really isn't another thread like this. Two were devoted to "Best" albums and some people chose to make those personal lists. But the one that wasn't time-stamped (which "of all time" isn't) only allowed people to pick 3. Which has got to be too hard for most people.

What are your Top 10 Favorite Albums of all time? And make sure, if 10 isn't enough, to include an "Honorable Mention(s)" list afterward. There are no rules (such as: only one album for each artist, etc). Tell us why, if you want to, the songs or the album (etc) means a lot to you.

my chicken is infected · Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:42 pm

1. Judy Garland - Judy At Carnegie Hall
Very few concerts can keep me electrified and completely entertained with just audio, but every live performance I have of Judy's does exactly that, and this one does it better than any of them. Standouts: "The Man That Got Away," "Over The Rainbow," "Swanee"

2. Celine Dion - Falling Into You
Without a doubt this is the best album Celine's ever done. This is Celine at her most adventurous, musically and vocally, in her English-language recording career. There's shades of rock, R&B, soul, reggae, and gospel on this album. Standouts: "It's All Coming Back To Me Now," "Call The Man," "All By Myself"

3. Patsy Cline - 12 Greatest Hits
The most satisfying 35 minutes you could spend. If you love fantastic vocals and someone who knows how to use them, you can't do any better. Standouts: There aren't any, they're all flawless.

4. Dolly Parton - Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly was at her best from the late 60's through the mid 70's when she began setting her sights on the pop charts with "Here You Come Again." This 1971 album sees her music unadorned with pop sensibilities and simply down home, with nothing to detract from the beautiful words, most of which were written by her, and her distinctive vocal delivery. Standouts: "My Blue Tears," "Coat Of Many Colors," "If I Lose My Mind"

5. Britney Spears - Blackout
With the exception of "Radar," this is pretty much a flawless album. The dark synth-gloom feel basically fit the troubled existence Britney was leading at the time. It's funny that I put this on here when I feel Femme Fatale is superior, but as it's just come out, I'm kinda loathe to put it on an all-time favorites list just yet, because I don't know how I'll feel about it in a few months - I might burn out and then come back later, who knows?

Standouts: "Toy Soldier," "Everybody" (iTunes/Japan bonus track and "Break The Ice" b-side), "Break The Ice"

6. Dixie Chicks - Home
Calling any one of the four albums from the Natalie Maines-era lineup "their best" doesn't say much, as all four albums are beautiful works of art, but Home definitely captured them at the peak of their critical, commercial, and artistic success. There isn't a single misstep on this album, and it can be listened to from beginning to end without reprogramming for better flow or skipping tracks. The acoustic sound highlights Natalie's vocal prowess and the girls' guitar-lickin' fiddle-playin' banjo-pickin' talents. Standouts: "Top Of The World," "Landslide," "Travelin' Soldier"

7. Tina Turner - Private Dancer
While the album doesn't really have a common thread to tie everything together and was basically just 10 singles whipped together to capitalize on the top 20 success of a single, Private Dancer became the most important recording of Tina's career and shows off Tina's versatility, ferociousness, and does a fantastic job of showing off why Tina is the legend she is. From rock to pop to R&B to dance to New Wave, Tina practically does it all effortlessly and sensously. Standouts: "Show Some Respect," "Steel Claw," "I Might Have Been Queen," "What's Love Got To Do With It"

8. Barbra Streisand - The Essential Barbra Streisand
While Barbra hasn't really put any full-length albums out that I'd place on a favorites list (Although she has several that I do enjoy), this hits collection has definitely earned a place on there for having some of the finest pop recordings of the second half of the 20th century. Barbra is one of the finest vocalists we've ever had, and this collection does a fantastic job of giving you a healthy overview of her long and legendary career. Standouts: "My Man," "I Dreamed Of You," "He Touched Me," "Second Hand Rose," "The Way We Were," too many to name really.

9. Frank Sinatra - September Of My Years
Sinatra won one of three Grammys for Album Of The Year for this fantastic set of songs with a common theme of a man reflecting on his life as he's getting older. Sinatra basically invented the concept album, and this is among his finest. Standouts: "It Was A Very Good Year," "How Old Am I?," "Last Night When We Were Young"

10. Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna
Stevie's first solo album is also probably her best. Although there's some dreamlike production to be found, Stevie ditched the "witchy" fairytale-tinged look and sound and went for a straight rock-pop record and with fantastic results. From the opening title track to the closer, "The Highwayman," Bella Donna is an incredible poetic sonic journey. Standouts: "Edge Of Seventeen," "Bella Donna," "Think About It"

HONORABLE MENTION:
Billie Holiday - Lady In Satin
Some were angry at everyone involved for releasing an audio portrait of an artist practically dying right there in front of our...ears. Many others have praised this album as a heartbreaking masterpiece of artistry. I am one of the latter. It's definitely an emotional experience to hear these recordings, especially knowing that Holiday would be dead just a year and a half after these recording sessions took place. The juxtaposition of her cracked and worn voice against the smooth and beautiful orchestral arrangements provides an interesting musical paradox - and I do love an interesting musical paradox. Standouts: "I'm A Fool To Want You," "The End Of A Love Affair," everything else.

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
The legendary country singer and the "indie" rocker? The collaboration had people scratching their heads when it was first announced, but then the album came out and had critics falling over themselves to praise her. And it's one of the few albums that deserves every last bit of praise, every award, every accolade it's gotten. Although there's some country-rock going on here as well, there's also plenty of pure traditional country to go around. Raw, real, there's nothing pretty or glossy here. No bullshit, just pure honest music. Standouts: None. The album needs to be listened to in its entirety.

Avaitor · Post by **Avaitor** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 6:23 pm

I'm sticking to one per artist and I'm skipping descriptions for now.

1-

Iron Maiden- Powerslave
1984- heavy metal

2-

Cynic- Focus
1993- technical death metal, jazz fusion

3-

Prince- Purple Rain
1984- pop, funk, R&B

4-

Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation
1988- alternative rock

5-

Agalloch- Ashes Against the Grain
2006- black metal, post-rock, neo-folk

6-

Marvin Gaye- What's Going On
1971- soul, R&B

7-

Ameoseurs
2009- post-punk, black metal, shoegaze

8-

Extreme- Pornograffiti
1990- heavy metal, glam rock, funk rock

9-

Frank Zappa- Hot Rats
1969- jazz fusion, progressive rock

10-

My Bloody Valentine- Loveless
1991- shoegaze

An honorable mention goes to UFO's Strangers in the Night. The best live album to exist, but I wanted to stick to studio recordings only.

Christopher_TCUIH · Post by **Christopher_TCUIH** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:07 pm

I've only been alive for 19 years but these are 10 albums that I think are really good!

1. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours (2008)
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x99Ayto7wEQ/S ... py_480.jpg" border="0" />

2. Rogue Wave - Asleep At Heaven's Gate (2007)
<img src="http://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/cov ... s-gate.jpg" border="0" />

3. Vampire Weekend - Contra (2010)
<img src="http://auralstates.com/wp-content/uploa ... contra.jpg" border="0" />

4. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (2008)
<img src="http://rpmedia.ask.com/ts?u=/wikipedia/ ... titled.png" border="0" />

5. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (2007)
<img src="http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/01/ ... 00x300.jpg" border="0" />

6. Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends (2002)
<img src="http://musicminded.umwblogs.org/files/2 ... cover1.jpg" border="0" />

7. Senses Fail - Still Searching (2006)
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_y-w6xufoIyA/R ... s_Fail.jpg" border="0" />

8. Freelance Whales - Weathervanes (2010)
<img src="http://www.melophobe.com/images/fifty/f ... anes01.jpg" border="0" />

9. Death Cab for Cute - Plans (2005)
<img src="http://www.themusiclibrary.com.au/wp-co ... -plans.jpg" border="0" />

10. Coldplay - Parachutes (2000)
<img src="http://h-3.abload.de/img/coldplay-2000-parachutyfci.jpg" border="0" />

jpanimation · Post by **jpanimation** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:14 am

Led Zeppelin I (1969) - The one that started it all but it certainly didn’t end here. Zeppelin would continue to make a string of self-titled hit albums. This one only gets special recognition for Dazed and Confused alone. It’s hard to believe that this album was panned when it first came out and yet it ushered in a new generation of heavy metal/hard rock.

Paranoid (1970) - Black Sabbath’s second album and what I think is there greatest. It’s the masterpiece that helped launch the new sound that would become modern heavy metal (this is where I plug Ozzy’s solo debut, Blizzard of Ozz, where Randy Rhoads would shred like no other).

Back in Black (1980) - One of the finest comebacks ever seen is this AC/DC album. Say what you want about Brian Johnson but I think he does a great job in filling Bon Scott’s shoes. This is one hell of a solid album all around.

Don’t Say No (1981) - Billy Squier gets a pity spot, simply because no other rock star has faded into obscurity quite as fast as he did after a single music video (click here to see what destroyed his career). Pretty good album and he swears The Stroke has no sexual implications.

Appetite for Destruction (1987) - No band has had a greater debut album then Guns N’ Roses has here (take that Boston). This may be my all-time favorite. The band has been changing it’s lineup ever since this album and I often wonder if that’s the reason they’ve never come close to repeating it’s success.

Pump (1989) - I had to shove at least one Aerosmith album in here, they are my favorite band, so I went with the one that my Dad bought me very early on (my first album). It’s one of my favorites anyways.

Hybrid Theory (2000) - I remember how obsessed everyone in school was with this when it first came out. In retrospect, it’s still Linkin Park’s best album and a pretty fucking solid debut album. The hybrid of rock and rap works impressively well.

Come Clean (2001) - Puddle of Mudd is one of the better post-grunge bands out there, a genre of music that has become a dime-a-dozen as of late (i.e. they all sound like Nickelback), and this is a mostly solid major label debut.

American Idiot (2004) - Say what you want about Green Day, like they destroyed real rock with their sellout pop douchiness. Whatever. They took what The Ramones started and created one of the greatest punk rock operas of all time.

15 (2006) - The third studio album by Buckcherry that had some people claiming they sold out. Honestly, I love it. Buckcherry is the closest thing we’ve gotten to classic rock in a long time, after years of grung and alternative, and who the fuck doesn’t love Crazy Bitch?

My honorable mentions list will consist of all the Greatest Hits labels that I love but didn’t feel belonged on a favorite albums list (I don’t really consider them albums but instead collections of albums):

The Essential Elvis Presley
O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits
Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection
Smashes, Thrashes, & Hits
Mothership
Motley Crue Greatest Hits
The Essential Red Collection
The Best of Both Worlds

DonMickGoof · Post by **DonMickGoof** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:06 am

1.Joes Garage (Acts I, II and III) - Frank Zappa
2.The Best Band You´ve Never Heard in your Life - Frank Zappa
3. Made In Japan -Frank Zappa
4. Live in London - Frank Zappa
5. Mann Alive - Manfred Manns Earthband
6.You Are What You Is - Frank Zappa
7.Led Zeppelin I - Led Zeppelin
8. Come Taste The Band - Deep purple
9. Weasels Ripped My Flesh - Frank Zappa
10. Sh*t Up and play yer Guitar - Frank Zappa

PatrickvD · Post by **PatrickvD** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 4:31 am

1. I could listen to Vedder's Into the Wild all day long. It's just terrific.

2. She and Him are a thing of pure.. sunshine. No matter my mood, their songs always brighten up the day. The second album is also great.

3. The Kinks! How could you not love this?

4. Yes, Lauryn Hill is insane. She's probably bipolar, but that one album is an amazing moment in time. I've accepted the fact that she and her sanity are not coming back. But The miseducation is amazing.

5. I don't think most consider this their best album, but I love Californication the most.

6. Vampire Weekend! it kicks ass.

7. I find John Mayer a pretentious ***** but this album is pretty good.

8. The Smiths are cool. Their lyrics really do the trick...

9. I'm not a huge Madonna fan, but Ray of Light is what pop music is all about. This is her best album. By far.

10. And finally, the Black Keys. I love their sound.

David S. · Post by **David S.** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 4:53 am

Nice thread idea, Lazario.

Without a doubt, the prized possession and absolute favorite item in my music collection is A Musical History Of Disneyland. This 6 CD set features the soundtracks to ALMOST every attraction in the history of Disneyland, runs nearly 8 hours, and if that wasn't enough, is sequenced by "land", as if you are exploring the park by "land" almost in real time (but with no lines)! This excellent release is thoroughly reviewed by Luke here: http://www.ultimatedisney.com/amusicalh ... yland.html

At this point, I could list other favorite Disney soundtracks (mostly from the parks and DACs), other, non-Disney musicals and film scores, classical, etc., as these genres represent most of what I listen to nowadays and could easily fill up 10 (or 30!) positions just from these categories.

However, in the "pop" spirit of this thread's responses so far, I am inspired to attempt to discuss my taste in "pop" music in great detail for the first times on UD (and by "pop", I don't mean just "commercial"; I simply mean ANY music classified and sorted by the name of the Artist (rather than soundtracks which are sorted by the name of the film or musical). So "rock", for instance, is a subset of "pop", in this context.

Pop music was a big part of my life throughout the 80's and early 90's. I have a pretty big background in the pop music of this era, having experienced it firsthand, both as an avid CD buyer, as well as spending quite a bit of time in music clubs during the late 80's through early 90's (both as a frequent patron and DJ in dance clubs and as a frequent patron in live music clubs). I also worked as a college radio DJ in the early 90's. So my list, with a few exceptions, focuses primarily on the music of the 80's and early 90's.

A few self-imposed rules:

a) I am imposing the "one album per artist" rule upon myself, to be able to discuss more artists this way. If I didn't, the Cocteau Twins and Beatles would take up multiple spots each, and my response would be more about them than anything else.

b) I will avoid live albums and singles/hits compilations. This means that a lot of deserving artists that I listen to often, but primarily on singles comps won't make the cut (ranging from Supremes/Motown, ABBA and Queen, to Depeche Mode and New Order, to name a few). It's not that their studio albums are bad; I just find myself listening to these artists (and many others) through singles collections more than on studio albums or any one, definitive, studio album.

c) In some cases I will discuss lyrics, but I MOSTLY get into music for the FEELING rather than the MEANING (kind of ironic, given my English major/writing background). Although my favorite musical instrument is the human voice, in many cases I find the emotion of HOW something is said, or sounds, more interesting musically than WHAT is actually said. But in any rate, many of these selections are based on the overall sound and ambience created by the recording.

d) I found it too hard to pick just 10 so I came up with 24 (featuring 13 "Honorable Mentions"). I will not attempt to make a distinction of where the "Main 10" end and the HM's begin; with the exception of the first two, these are listed either loosely by genre or in the order in which I thought of including them. The longish reviews (intended to simply express my own opinions and interpretations and do NOT attempt to speak universally), are for those interested, or, if not, one can just scroll past them to look at the pictures and bolded album titles

I had a lot of fun putting this together.

MY FAVORITE/MOST INFLUENTIAL POP STUDIO ALBUMS

Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll (1988) - OK, since almost everyone reading this (except Lazario) has probably never heard of this band, I will gush a little about them before discussing this album. Recording from 1982-96, and hailing (mostly) from Scotland, Cocteau Twins were the shining star of the UK indie label 4AD.

Swirling, melodic, atmospheric guitars, (augmented by bass, drums, and at times keyboards/synth/piano), are highlighed by the beautiful, multitracked bliss that is Elizabeth Fraser's vocals. The words, especially in their early and perfectly brilliant middle period, (circa 84-90) are almost completely unintelligible and the result is instead of getting bogged down in "meaning", the voice is used solely as another instrument and conjures atmosphere, and "feeling". (On later 90's releases the words became (at times) more understandable, but thankfully the overall sound was just as unique and spellbinding as ever)

The net result of all of this is entrancing, hypnotic, spellbinding, ethereal, at times moody and haunting, at times overwhelmingly joyous, but almost always melodic and accessabile, once you "get" this band.

More about feeling than meaning, the abstract over the concrete, the impressionistic over the didactic...

And difficult music to describe other than pure sublime and ethereal bliss, and utterly not of this world...

Well, onto Blue Bell Knoll, then. This was basically the last CT album to feature the full mystique of not being able to clearly understand any of the words. As it was also perhaps the most musically accessable (up to that point) to a wide audience, but still mysterious, beautiful, and otherworldly, it makes for a good intro album for newbies. Standout tracks include:

"Carolyn's Fingers" - PURE SUBLIME EUPHORIC BLISS. And the angels sing. A perfect track to introduce newbies to the band from arguably their best album. "For Phoebe Still A Baby" is a beautiful midtempo lullabye, and "A Kissed Out Red Floatboat", has a trippy feel. This vocal tour-de-force is sung, as usual, with great feeling and a nice dynamic between Liz's higher and lower vocal range. There is not a bad track in the bunch, though.

Also recommended by this Artist - The entire catalogue, but my other faves include Treasure, an early masterpiece from 1984; Victorialand, a relaxing, ambient masterwork from 1986; The Moon and the Melodies, a 1986 collaboration between the band and noted ambient pianist Harold Budd; Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990), which broke the band to a bigger audience in the States and was an excellent follow-up to BBK. Also the sublime 4-track EPs Aikea Guinea and Love's Easy Tears, from 1985 and 1986, which are both found on the 2-CD EP and singles collection, Lullabies to Violane, spanning the band's entire career.

The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles of the early Beatlemania era wrote and recorded a lot of good music, most of which were love songs and were relatively musically straightforward compared to later work. By 1965's Rubber Soul album, the musical arrangements had become more sophisticated, and this continued even further on 1966's Revolver. Also on Revolver more and more songs abandoned the "silly love songs" lyrically in favor of more trippy lyrics ("I'm Only Sleeping", "Tomorrow Never Knows"), which for my tastes is a Very Good Thing.

On Pepper, the band spent even more time in the studio than on Revolver, creating essentially a "Technicolor" record that completely reinvented the band and their sound. The basic rock arrangements were replaced with more complex, colorful ones in which strings, woodwinds, brass, sitar, and others were just as likely to be featured as guitar, bass, and drums. Lyrically, we enter the psychadelic, colorful world of John Lennon's "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds", and his equally trippy, circus-flavored "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite"; and the hazy daydreams of the stunning finale "A Day In the Life". Paul Mc Cartney contibuted the album's overall concept and several fun, colorful, upbeat numbers, including the lead-off, title track, which segues into the equally catchy "With A Little Help From My Friends", in arguably one of the most famous pop segues of all-time. George Harrison also made a huge contribution with the sitar-heavy, meditative, Eastern spirituality of "Within You, Without You". There isn't a bad track on the album, and it is sequenced in such a way that is clearly intended to be listened to in order, as a complete work, with the songs flowing together.

Ironically, two of the best known and loved songs from these sessions, "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", were released as a single and therefore excluded from the album which was frequently a silly custom of the time (even though these colorful songs would have fit perfectly musically and lyrically). But this wrong was somewhat righted when these songs surfaced on the Magical Mystery Tour album later that year, joining the 6 tracks from the MMT EP and 3 tracks from other 1967 "orphaned singles" to create a compilation that was essentially a studio album, being as all the material was recorded during or just after the Pepper sessions.

Also recommended by this artist - Magical Mystery Tour, Revolver, Abbey Road, The Beatles (aka "The White Album"), the rest of the band's catalog, and the solo careers of the group members.

The Smiths (1984) - "It's time the tale were told/Of how you took a child/and you made him old". These are the first words of "Reel Around the Fountain", the first song on the first Smiths album, and appropriate ones, given the album's recurring lyrical theme of innocence. With their "back to basics" guitar/bass/drums/voice sound, the Smiths, from Manchester, UK, stood out from most of the rest of the music on the charts in the 80's, which was becoming increasingly synth-based and heavily produced. Lyrically, this album is sort of the antithesis of music like the Cocteau Twins, as the lyrics are extremely important to getting the most out of the band. Singer and lyricist Morrissey became essentially a "poet laureate" of the UK indie/alternative scene of the mid 80's, and the lyrics stand up well on their own. However, when the guitar sounds and arrangements of songwriter/guitarist Johnny Marr are added to the mix, they become even more special, and a band of legend is born.

Standout tracks include the trilogy of songs that close the first half of the album - "Miserable Lie", "Pretty Girls Make Graves", and "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle". These tracks flow together perfectly, with the emotional lyrics of each building on each other and culminating with "Cradle", a touching, cathartic, lullaby to innocence and the desire to preserve and protect it - sort of a "Baby Mine" for the indie rock scene and sung by a male. The album also includes the band's anthemic first three singles - "Hand In Glove", "What Difference Does It Make", and "This Charming Man". The closing track, "Suffer Little Children", is a tearjerking tribute to the children who were victims of the horrific Moors Murders in Northern England in the 60's, sung with forlorn sadness and featuring gentle guitar riffs that both display a deep sensitivity - again, voice/lyrics and music compliment each other perfectly. This final track foreshadows "Meat Is Murder", a touching eulogy to the animal victims of the barbaric and cruel meat industry, that would close the band's second studio album of that same title. The Smiths, and later Morrissey as a solo artist working with new musicians, would go on to make lots of other great albums - but none would ever equal this refreshing simplicity, or be as raw, poetic, and achingly beautiful as this first effort.

Also recommended by this artist - entire catalogue, Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead, various compilations and Morrissey solo albums.

REM - Green (1988) - It's really hard to pick one favorite REM album as there are so mamy great ones, but Green stands out in my mind for a few reasons. First, while the album has several classic REM rockers ("Orange Crush", "Turn You Inside Out", "Stand", "Pop Song '89", "Get Up"), and the excellent midtempo "World Leader Pretend", it marked the first time that guitarist Peter Buck would heavily feature the mandolin (which would be a trademark on future albums). The three slower, acoustic, mandolin tracks here, "You Are the Everything", "The Wrong Child", and "Hairshirt", are all among the standout tracks on the album. "Everything" features seemingly "stream of consciousness" lyrics that are heartfelt and beautiful. "The Wrong Child", about a child with an unspecified illness and the bullying he or she recieves, is quite possibly one of the most touching and heartfelt songs ever recorded. And despite the grim subject matter, lyricist/singer Michael Stipe gives the child courage and a positive attitude that makes this ultimately a song of hope. I had previously thought Michael Stipe was a good lyricist, but with this album and these songs in particular, I saw a sensitivity and depth that made me begin to consider him one of the best of my generation. Another reason this album is a sentimental favorite for me was it marked the first tour on which I attended a REM concert (This tour was documented on DVD and VHS in "Tourfilm"). And I saw a band not only at the height of their powers, but in Stipe I witnessed an energetic and magnetic frontman with a stage presence that can rival the best of them.

Also recommended by this artist - the entire catalogue; Automatic For the People, Life's Rich Pageant. New Adventures In Hi-Fi, Out Of Time, singles compilations, etc.

Tears For Fears - Songs From the Big Chair (1985) - After their landmark synthpop debut The Hurting, which drew heavily on primal scream therapy for inspiration and featured 4 nonetheless catchy hit singles (at least in the UK), TFF returned for their sophomore effort with a less dark, wider lyrical view, and also a broader palette musically, although retaining much of their signature synth sound. Big Chair was both a critical and commercial success and broke the band in the US. Standout tracks include the anthemic hits "Shout", "Everybody Wants To Rule the World", and Mothers Talk", as well as the Beatlesque grand pop of another hit, "Head Over Heals" - which on the album segues with the rocker "Broken", with the memorable recurring lyrics beginning with "In my mind's eye..." thematically linking both songs. But there is more to the album than just the singles. "The Working Hour" with it's sophisticated, sax-heavy arrangement, the piano ballad "I
Believe", and synth closer "Listen" are all strong, memorable, tracks. There are only 8 tracks on the album but with no weak ones, songwriter Roland Orzabal proved he was no one album wonder.

Also recommended - The Seeds Of Love, Everybody Loves A Happy Ending, The Hurting, Shout: The Very Best of Tears For Fears

Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle (1979) - As a young child in 1977, I saw the Main Street Electrical Parade at Walt Disney World for the first time and was COMPLETELY blown away, not just by the sights, but more importantly, the sounds. I had never heard anything like it before. Then one day a few short years later, I heard a song called "Cars" by Gary Numan on the radio which sounded unlike anything else on the radio, yet vaguely familiar due to my love of the synth sounds from the MSEP. My taste in pop music was never the same after that, and my love of "synthpop" was born. The Pleasure Principle, which includes "Cars", was one of the most influential albums in the history of synthpop, and many of it's sounds are stolen, er, borrowed, er "sampled" by contemporary artists today. Moog synthesizer is the main lead instrument featured here, and I love the colorful, spacey, airy sounds and textures of these lead synth lines. Notes are sustained and float into one another, and this sound still sounds "spage-age" to my ears 32 years after the album's release. Interestingly, even with the heavy use of synths, the album features "real" drums and bass guitar, and most intrestingly, real strings. Due to the huge success of "Cars" in the states, Numan was/is unfortunately often pegged a "one hit wonder" in the US, despite having amassed over 20 albums and 40 singles in his career. Just on this album alone, "Cars" is just one of many ace tracks. Other standouts include the instrumental lead-off track "Airlane"; "M.E"; (with an amazing instrumental run out); "Metal", "Films", "Tracks", and the slower, spacey "Complex".

A Flock Of Seagulls (1982) - There is a common misconception about the UK's A Flock Of Seagulls that they were "one hit wonders" in the US, and just a "hair"/image band. These are both wrong. The Flock had multiple hit singles, and 3 of their earliest were in heavy rotation on both mainstream US radio and MTV. As for the hair and image, yes, the band did have a very distinctive "New Wave"/futuristic look during their early years, but their music had substance as well, introducing a unique "space-age" sound that combined layers and layers of atmospheric, effects-filled guitar sounds with layers and layers of innovative, futuristic, keyboard and synth sounds. What made the band somewhat unique is that their synth-pop contemporaries were generally not using this much guitar, and the guitar-heavy bands of the day were generally not using as much synth. Topping off the sound were a solid rhythm section and vocals which featured lyrics that often had science-fiction and futurism themes, especially in the early years.

The band's self-titled debut album is what I consider their strongest, containing their best and most consistently pleasing set of songs. Highlights include the singles "I Ran (So Far Away)", "Space Age Love Song", and "Telecommunication" the first 2 of which were big hits on both US radio and MTV. Other standouts include "Modern Love Is Automatic", which leads off the UK version of the album with a killer intro; "Messages"; "Don't Ask Me"; and "DNA" which won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental. Last but not least is the killer closer track, "Man Made", which features an impressive wall of guitar and synth sound, and interesting lyrics that caution of man's overdependence on technology, which seem even more relevant to our modern world than they did when the album was first released - such as "Man made machines/To control the days/Now machines control/While the man obeys."

It should be noted that the UK version of the album is the best bet, as it contains all 11 tracks and includes them in the order the band intended. The US record company distributing the album omitted "Tokyo", and radically resequenced the order of the remaining 10 tracks.

Also recommended - the remaining studio albums, especially second album Listen, which includes the band's other big US hit, "Wishing". Various singles compilations.

Orchestral Manoevres In the Dark (aka OMD) - Architecture and Morality (1981) - Known to Americans primarily from the 1986 hit, "If You Leave", OMD were actually one of the most influential bands of the synthpop genre and already had 6 studio albums and over a dozen singles under their belt by the time most Americans had a clue as to who they were. Their later albums were more "accessible", "commercial", and varied, and I enjoy all of them, but their first four were among the most influential in all of synthpop. By their third album, Architecture and Morality, OMD were a band at the peak of their powers both creatively, critically, and in the charts (in Europe, anyway). The acclaimed Architecture and Morality proved synthpop didn't have to sound "cold and robotic" - it could sound more organic and have heart, as evidenced on stellar tracks like the stately, longing "Souvenir"; and the related "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans", all featuring stunning choral effects. All 3 of these tracks were hit singles in UK/Europe and sounded unlike anything else charting in the synthpop genre. "Maid Of Orleans" is actually in waltz time! Other standout tracks include the almost-single "She's Leaving", extremely catchy "Georgia", the experimental instrumental title track, the epic opus "Sealand", and closer track "The Beginning and the End".

Also recommended - the whole catalogue, especially the quirky, experimental, underappreciated but equally brilliant DAZZLE SHIPS, their 4th album, which features a variety of creative textures and sound effects scattered among its songs and song fragments, and was simply too far ahead of its time to get the critical acclaim and sales it deserved at the time of its initial release. Also, any of the singles collections are highly recommended as the group had an amazing run of singles, and they make a good, accessible beginning point for a newbie.

Erasure - The Innocents (1988) - So many great Erasure albums, it's hard to pick one. But The Innocents is my overall favorite. This album is pure pop perfection from start to finish. It features 3 great hit singles - the "Hi-NRG" classic "Chains Of Love" as well as the memorable "A Little Respect" and "Ship of Fools." Synth wizard and songwriter/arranger Vince Clarke seems incapable of writing a song that isn't intensely catchy, which for my taste is a good thing! As such, nearly every track on this album could have been a single, such as "Phantom Bride", "Heart Of Stone", "Imagination", and the positive closer "Weight Of the World". I love the upbeat, positive vibe of Erasure which is very evident on this album and which I find a refreshing change compared to the darker sounds and more gloomy lyrics of many of their contemporaries. Aside from the brilliant keyboard/synth work by Vince, this album features awesome lead and background vocals by lyricist/singer Andy Bell. Bell has a very powerful, soulful voice and sings with a lot of passion and drama. He's one of the only singers I can think of who can get away with a line like "I'm so in love with you/I'll be forever blue" (from "A Little Respect") and make it sound so urgent! Mix in the production by legendary New Wave producer Stephen Hague and you have a classic.

Also recommended - the entire catalogue! Faves include Wild!; The Circus; I Say, I Say, I Say; Wonderland; Chorus; Cowboy; Nightbird; and Erasure. Also Pop! - The First 20 Hits and Pop! - the Second 20 Hits are both recommended due to Erasure's incredible string of singles. (also packages as Total Pop! - The First 40 Hits)

Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour (1990) - I've yet to hear a PSB album I disliked, and they've made plenty, so picking a fave is difficult. But overall, I consider this to be the Boys' finest hour. Everything came together brilliantly on this one. The arrangements by composer Chris Lowe are polished, lush, and sophisticated as well as very catchy and memorable. There is a good, balenced mix of the usual PSB danceable songs with more slower and midtempo ones than usual. Ultimately, this 4th album is a very positive, heartfelt, and sincere record with little trace of the detached irony that PSB initially became known for, and singer/lyricist Neil Tennant sings with a convincing earnestness throughout the album. More than 20 years later Behaviour still holds up extremely well and I consider this a major pop classic. Standout tracks include the opener "Being Boring", the killer "This Must Be the Place I've Waited Years To Leave" (which opened the tour), the stunning "My October Symphony"; the uptempo, danceable "So Hard"; ballads "To Face the Truth" and "Nervously"; and "The End Of the World", which, despite the title, is actually a very positive song. I was fortunate to see the "Performance Tour" which supported this album, (at the Sanger Theatre in New Orleans), which at the time set new standards in pop concert theatricality and blurred the line between a Broadway musical and a "rock"/pop concert.

Also recommended - the whole catalogue, such as Actually, Introspective, Bilingual, Please, Very, Release, etc. PopArt singles compilation is highly recommended due to the group's incredible string of singles.

Book Of Love (1986) - It was pretty hard to go anywhere in clubland in the late 80's - regardless of what type of dance club you were in - without hearing some of the tracks from this self-titled debut album, which was massive on the club scene. "Boy" and "I Touch Roses" got the most airplay, but the other singles "You Make Me Feel So Good" and "Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)" were just as equally solid. The whole album is pretty strong, with "Lost Souls", closer track "Book Of Love" and a cover of Liliput's "Die Matrosen" among the other standouts. This album brings back fond memories of fun and happy times out on the town, dancing until 3 AM and such. And I even got to briefly hang out with the band backstage after one of their local shows (they were very nice and personable)

Also recommended - Lullaby, Candy Carol, and their singles collection.

Yazoo - Upstairs At Eric's (1982) - After writing Depeche Mode's first album, synth wizard Vince Clarke left the band to form Yazoo (shortened to Yaz in the US to avoid confusion with another band). The debut, Upstairs At Eric's, is one of the definitive moments in synthpop, combining Vince's always catchy synth sounds with the soulful, powerful vocals of Alison Moyet. Detractors of the genre often complained of synthpop sounding cold and robotic, but here was a very warm and soulful, passionate sound. Standout tracks include "Don't Go", "Too Pieces", "Only You", and the dance club smash "Situation". Yazoo would disband after just 2 albums, with Moyet launching a solo career and Clarke teaming up with Andy Bell to form Erasure - the legendary synth due who have recorded numerous albums, had over 40 hit singles, and are still going strong to this day!

Also recomended - their other album, You and Me Both.

The Cure - Wish (1992) - To say the Cure's music covers a vast array of styles and moods is a major understatement. (Indeed, their 1996 album is titled Wild Mood Swings). They had one of the most creative, quirky, colorful, catchy, whimsical, and at times, fun and giddy runs of singles in the history of pop music. And yet, many of their album tracks are extremely dark, melencholy, somber, and sometimes edgy and angst-ridden. On many of their albums, this darker material makes up the majority of tracks, such as on the "trilogy" of albums that began with their second album, Seventeen Seconds, in 1980. On 1983's Japanese Whispers, the angst and darkness was largely gone, replaced by the beginning of experimentation with perfecting the 3-minute pop-single, albeit with extremely quirky, creative, and colorful arrangements and lyrics.

The next several albums saw the beginning of the modern Cure. Apart from 1989's Disintegration, which maintained a somber yet majestic mood throughout most of the album, the rest of the albums begining with "The Top" in 1984 were all over the place stylistically and in terms of mood. Three general types of Cure songs began to be identifiable - the eclectic, quirky, colorful, fun and upbeat pop songs; the slow, somber, majestic, mellow, yet often beautiful melencholy songs; and the harder-edged, louder, more guitar-heavy, often angst-driven tracks. In some cases, the transitions between the 3 types of songs on an album was quite jarring, but at least one always got the sense that Cure leader and chief songwriter Robert Smith was very honest and genuine with both his music and lyrics - he was completely open to expressing the complete wide range of human emotion in his work.

1992's Wish contined the Cure tradition of having this wide range of tempos and moods on an album, yet somehow this wide variety of styles seemed to mesh together better on this album than on many previous ones. Wish feels more cohesive and mature than earlier efforts in this vein, and in my opinion it is the Cure's finest studio album, showcasing their mastery of a wide variety of styles and moods both musically and lyrically; and the honesty, range, and emotion of Robert Smith's songwriting.

Standout tracks include my personal favorite Cure song, the upbeat "Doing the Unstuck", which is probably the most positive Cure song ever written (and one of the most positive songs I've ever heard by ANYONE), and which was very nearly a single. Other standouts include the amazing singles "High" and "Friday I'm In Love," which continued the Cure's amazing run of infectiously happy and fun singles. Some critics and some hardcore fans who prefer the band's darker material have been critical of "Friday I'm In Love", calling it TOO happy and upbeat, but they are missing the point. While the music IS infectiously catchy, practically-perfect pop in the tradition of earlier hits like "In Between Days" and "Just Like Heaven", the lyric is subtly tinged with a slight trace of stoic melencholy which provides balance to the song - after all, the happiness being celebrated comes around just once a week, and the song can be seen as a reflection on the often ellusive, transient nature of pure happiness.

It usually wouldn't be a Cure album without some louder, heavier, fast-paced, more aggressive, guitar-driven tracks, and that bill is filled here by lead-off track "Open", "From the Edge Of the Deep Green Sea", "Cut", and closer track "End", which features amazing layers of guitars and awesome basswork by longtime Cure bassist Simon Gallup.

Among the standouts of the slower, majestic, moody songs on the album are "Trust", which features piano and an amazing, beautiful, prominent synth line which, as is often the case with Cure synths, stands in for strings. Another highlight is the de-facto title track, "To Wish Impossible Things", which is a reflection on the darker side of wishes - the ones that can't or won't come true. The melencholic arrangement is nonetheless achingly beautiful and perfectly complements the lyric, making the song a nice counterpoint to "Doing the Unstuck".

Also recommended - All of their studio albums are interesting and have great moments, but being primarily into the band's more upbeat and playful side, my biggest recomendation is for their 2 volumes of singles collections - Standing On A Beach - The Singles (1978-1986) (the CD version is called Staring At The Sea instead), and the sequel, Galore - The Singles (1987-1997)

Shelleyan Orphan - Helleborine (1987) - One of the most unique bands I've ever heard, Shelleyan Orphan incorporates a wide variety of classical instruments into their sound, such as violins, viola, cello, woodwinds, and brass. The result is a classically flovored pop music also drawing on folk and at times, jazz influences. Topping it all off are the beautiful vocals of Caroline Crawley, who also often harmonizes with the band's male vocalist, Jemaur Tayle. This is great, relaxing, lively music perfect for driving to on both a beautiful sunny day as well as a dark, mysterious night. But it definitely has an organic feel and makes me think of nature and the outdoors. After getting the coveted opening slot on the 1989 Cure tour, Shelleyan Orphan finally got some exposure in the states, as they also did with the video clip to "Shatter". The album discussed here predates all that, however, as I find it their strongest and purest expression of their sound. Standout tracks include "Southern Bess (A Field Holler)". "Anatomy of Love", "Blue Black Grape", "Jeremiah", "Cavalry of Cloud", and "Midsummer Pearls and Plumes".

Also recommended - entire discography, but especially second album Century Flower, which features their biggest hit, "Shatter".

This Mortal Coil - Blood (1991) - There are really no words that can completely describe this "side project" of 4AD label founder Ivo Watts-Russell, featuring several different vocalists (mostly female) scattered throughout a double-album's worth of tracks. (a different one on each song, with some appearing more than once per album). You could call it a cross between New Wave and New Age, Pop Music and Ambient Soundscape. TMC's 3 albums consists of ethereal covers of relatively obscure pop songs that display strong emotion, beauty, and at times, sadness. These songs are segued with various instrumental songs and song fragments to create a seamless listening experience with the tracks all flowing into one another and meant to be taken as a complete work, like a Pink Floyd album. Completely unique and at times dreamy, ethereal, dark, moody, somber, sublime, and utterly beautiful. This is the third, final, and IMO best TMC album, (and probably the most accessible to a newbie). And one of the most amazing, creative albums I've ever heard. Standout cuts include "With Tomorrow", "Andialu", "You and Your Sister", "Several Times", "Mr. Somewhere", "Bitter", and "Dreams are Like Water"

Also recommended - It's a judgement call, really, as to which TMC is best. The first two TMC albums It'll End In Tears from 1984 and 1986's double-album Filigree and Shadow both have moments of amazing creativity, brilliance, and beauty and are both worth hearing, as all the praise I heaped on this one could easily apply to those as well.

Enya - Shepherd Moons (1991) - I really could have picked any Enya album, as I enjoy them all. I really enjoy the lush, relaxing soundscapes and beautiful vocals. Shepherd Moons, the third Enya album, features standout tracks such as "Carrabean Blue", "Ebudae", "Book Of Days", "Lothlorien", and the stuningly beautiful finale, "Smaionite".

Also recommended - Watermark, The Celts, In Memory of Trees, etc.

Klaus Nomi (1981) - Over a decade before the heyday of Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, etc., the late, great, Klaus Nomi was an early, (if relatively obscure in his day outside of "New Wave" circles) "classical crossover" or "popera" star. Blending synthpop and postpunk New Wave arrangements with covers of classic opera arias sung in a stunning falsetto SOPRANO, there was literally NO ONE quite like Klaus Nomi in his day, (or since!) both sonically and visually. The colorful New Wave "space alien" persona of many of his appearances would have made him undoubtedly a huge star in the early days of MTV, had he lived that long. Tragically, Klaus passed away just as his star was beginning to ascend, leaving behind only 2 studio albums and some unreleased tracks that were later included on various posthumous compilations. I really could have picked either album, but I went with the debut here, ending as it does with a SUBLIME live rendition of the soprano aria "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix coeur" from the opera Samson and Delilah by Camile Saint-Saens. Other standout tracks on the album include Nomi's New Wave pop classic "Total Eclipse", and covers of pop songs "Lightning Strikes" (Lou Cristie), "The Twist" (Chubby Checker), and "You Don't Own Me" (Leslie Gore), all done in a style uniquely Nomi.

Also recommended - Simple Man (the second album), and compilations. Encore, the first posthumous compilation, is IMO the best, as it has the best overall selection of his pop songs and includes nearly all of his operatic arias. Encore may actually be the best introduction to this artist for a newbie.

Sarah Brightman - Timeless (1997) - After the Broadway phase of her career, Brightman teamed with producer Frank Peterson (formerly of Enigma) and recorded a solid pop album, Dive. Eventually their recordings began to include more and more operatic arias, beginning with 1997's Timeless, and Brightman would be considered one of the prominent artists of the newly surging "classical crossover" genre, which blends operatic arias with pop songs (often covers) on the same album. This album, then, was at the forefront of that genre, featuring the acclaimed track "Time To Say Goodbye", a duet with Andrea Bocelli. This track became so popular that her American record company changed the name of the album in the US to "Time To Say Goodbye" and put the song first rather than it's intended last position. As solid as that track is, though, it's really on the strength of intended opener "No One Like You" that makes me give this the nudge over, say, the follow-up album, Eden. "No One Like You" adopts Jerry Goldsmith's main score motif from the touching film Powder, and adds lyrics to it that were clearly inspired by the film. This is simply one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Other standouts include a cover of Mecano's "Naturaleza Muerta", the arias "In Trutina" and "La Wally", "In Pace", and "Just Show Me How To Love You", a duet with tenor Jose Cura.

Also recommended - Eden, Dive, Symphony, to name just a few. Various compilations.

Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha (1991) - At a time when most of pop America was probably too obsessed with grunge and rap to notice, the UK's (where else?) Saint Etienne released a brilliant debut album that is one of my favorite 90's albums and still holds up extremely well today. The album combines elements of dance and house music with sweet and soulful pop melodies and vocals, courtesy of singer Sarah Cracknell, which are reminiscent at times of the great 60's girl groups/singers, such as Dusty Springfield, the Supremes, etc., Like all my favorite electronic/dance oriented records, this has the melodies, too, that are fun to sing along with. The album also features a few "interstitial", experimental-type tracks consisting of looped samples, the most interesting of which is "Wilson". Of the "proper" songs, the euphoric "Nothing Can Stop Us" is hands down one of my favorite 90's singles. Other standout cuts include a killer house cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", the lush and gorgeous "Spring"; "People Get Real"; and "Kiss and Make Up".

U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987) - From the stunning opener "Where the Streets Have No Name" with it's perfect intro and build up, to other great tracks like "Bullet the Blue Sky", "Running To Stand Still", "In God's Country", and of course the mega hits "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", this is not only IMO U2's best album, but one that deserves it's reputation as among the finest rock albums of all time. With excellent production by Brian Eno and Danial Lanois, an excellent rhythm section, the Edge's amazing guitar work, and of course Bono's passionate vocals and lyrics, this album fires on all cylinders. I was fortunate enough to see The Joshua Tree tour in Baton Rouge, LA. It was one of my first concerts and I remember it still as one of the best I've ever attended.

Also recommended - the whole catalogue; The Unforgettable Fire, War, Rattle and Hum, Zooropa, All that you Can't Leave Behind, singles collections, etc

The Police - Ghost In The Machine (1981) - Before his hugely successful solo career, Sting was the basist, lead singer, and principle songwriter of the hugely successful and influential UK postpunk band, The Police. A "power-trio" with a big reggae influence and intellegent, often socially-conscious lyrics, the Police disbanded after their multiplatinum and more polished swansong, Synchronicity, from 1983.

Ghosts In The Machine sees the band transitioning from their more "raw" earlier efforts to the more polished sound of Synchronicity. Keyboards/synths and saxophones are beginning to be featured more prominantly here, joining Sting's bass, Andy Summers' excellent guitar lines, and Stewart Copeland's powerful, accomplished drumming; and the production is more "polished" than on the band's first 3 albums. But the album also feels more closely linked to the band's earlier material than Synchronicity does.

Lyrically, one could say this is something of a concept album, as many of the songs explore themes of the struggle of humanity/spirituality in a mechanized, material world. This theme is also explored by the album title itself, the title (and lyrics) of lead-off track "Spirits In The Material World", and the VERY clever album cover. (Look at it closely to see the 3 faces of the band members trying to materialize amid the electronic digits). Ultimately, the album addresses this primary theme with positivity and hope, and is also a fun listen just to "jam" along to.

Standout tracks include the killer first three tracks, all released as hit singles - "Spirits In the Material World", the infectiously catchy "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", and "Invisible Sun". Also "Rehumanize Yourself", "One World (Not Three)", and the spiritual quest of "Secret Journey". But the entire album is very strong.

Also recommended - the band's other 4 albums, Sting's solo albums, and compilations of both.

Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982) - Thriller was Michael's most commercially successful album and the one that earned him his "King of Pop" moniker. But it is also arguably his best work. Everything came together here, from the production of Quincy Jones to Michael's songwriting, (with key contributions from Rod Temperton and a few others) Excellent musicianship and arrangements throughout the album make each song sparkle with energy - from the opening anthem "Wanna Be Startin' Something" to "Thriller", "Beat It", and "Billie Jean", the album flows very well from track to track and features a staggering 7 hit singles among its 9 tracks! The midtempo "Human Nature" features a great arrangement and is one of my favorites on the album.

Also recommended - Off the Wall, which has a first half so strong I almost gave it the nod over Thriller. Also Bad, Dangerous, History, and various compilations.

Paul McCartney and Wings - Band On The Run (1973) - Band On The Run is my favorite album of Paul McCartney's' post-Beatles work; and it is also my favorite release by ANY of the former Beatles after the Beatles disbanded. Even though I initially set a limit of one album per artist upon myself, in hindsight, Wings is technically a different band than the Beatles, so Paul makes my list twice!

I can remember hearing and eventually owning as a single, the title track "Band On the Run" while a toddler and absolutely loving it. This one track was my introduction/gateway not just to McCartney/Wings, but to the Beatles themselves. I particularly remember loving the cool-sounding synths and guitar effects; and the way the song transitioned through multiple phases. This track is a perfect example of Mc Cartney's ability to take seemingly unrelated, complex melodies and arrangements and connect them together perfectly in a way that makes them seem like they naturally belong exactly the way they are presented - like the amazing medley on the second side of the Beatles' Abbey Road album. Here, Paul works that same kind of magic all within one song. This awesome, seemingly effortless, (and always catchy as heck) compositional skill is an example of why "Macca" is my favorite Beatle. (with no disrespect intended towards the other Beatles, who are/were all awesome!).

Other highlights of the album include the equally catchy and upbeat "Jet", the mellow "Bluebird", "Mrs. Vandebilt", "Let Me Roll It", extremely catchy "Helen Wheels", and album closer "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five". It should be noted that this is a rare case of the US edition of an album being superior to the original UK version, because "Helen Wheels" was not included on the original UK edition, due to having been released as a single before the album was released (even though it was recorded during the same sessions as the rest of the album).

Also recommended - other McCartney, Wings, and Beatles albums and compilations. See the Sgt. Pepper entry above for more details.

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of the Moon (1973) - The only Floyd album I ever got heavily into. I can appreciate the artistic achievement of The Wall but I find it, taken as a whole, to be a bit of a downer. Dark Side, however, stands up well (for me) for repeat listens, especially when those listens take place in a local planetarium Dark Side laser show in an appropriately "mellow" state of mind!

. There are so many iconic moments here - the heartbeat and chatter that opens and closes the album; the clocks that open "Time"; the guitar solo in "Time"; the excellent lyrics in both "Breathe" and "Time" (and elsewhere on the album); the wailing, soulful female vocals in "Great Gig In the Sky"; "Money" with it's ringing cash registers; the saxophone on "Us and Them"...

"I'll see you on the dark side of the moon."

my chicken is infected · Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:46 pm

PatrickvD wrote:4. Yes, Lauryn Hill is insane. She's probably bipolar, but that one album is an amazing moment in time. I've accepted the fact that she and her sanity are not coming back. But The miseducation is amazing.

This one also gets an honorable mention. I'm not a big hip-hop fan at all, although this one isn't quite hip-hop so much as it's a blend of hip-hop, contemporary R&B, and neo-soul. It's an absolutely breathtaking unrepeatable masterpiece. Not unrepeatable because of her mental state, but she could be the sanest of sane and make something amazing, but she could never repeat this.

Avaitor · Post by **Avaitor** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:19 pm

So I want to bump this thread. My list looks pretty good to me, so I'll just post some reasonings for why I listed them.

I've written about the following elsewhere, and you can read about them here:
#1, , and [url=http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showthread.php?282308-25-Albums-From-My-Generation-Worth-Listening-To&p=3840127#post3840127]2, 5, 7 and 10.

As for the rest:

3- This is one of the ones I'm going to review at some point, so I won't touch on it too much. But this is my favorite non-metal album of all time. Prince's 80's work is fantastic, and he pulled out his best work for Purple Rain's soundtrack. Every little note has a touch of authenticity and virtuosity in his musical abilities that you just can't find in music today, let alone top 40. And there's more than enough variety to please anyone.

4- Another one I'm going to review, but it's hard for me to sing the praises of this album. It's fantastic noise rock where every note has a purpose and the intensity and energy of the band is present throughout. It's a double album that doesn't get old at all.

6- You should at least know the title track. Easily the greatest protest song ever written. It's one of the handful that doesn't ask for a difference, but demands it. The rest of the album is fantastic too. Incredible R&B from the master at his peak, as he does it all by his terms for the first time.

8- This is another album where you should know at least one song from it- and that song is "More Than Words", a half-decent power ballad released during the height of popularity of hair metal. It doesn't really represent the rest of the album as a whole though (fellow hit "Hole Hearted" aside, which you also might know). Besides the acoustic stuff, there's a lot of funk rock and glam metal to hear, along with touches of classical, hip-hop, and even blue-eyed soul, all of which make up a hilarious concept album. It's an overlooked gem.

Disney's Divinity · Post by **Disney's Divinity** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 9:42 am

I’m assuming this doesn’t include greatest hits, Christmas covers, cast recordings, or soundtracks? Otherwise, my list would be almost entirely different. Most of the artists before my time I only buy the greatest hits of (Cher, Air Supply, Michael Jackson, Elton John, No Doubt, Whitney Houston, Mariah, etc.), with a few exceptions. My time has very much been the 2000’s. I mostly didn’t listen to music in the ‘90s, except for the occasional Britney, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, or Christina Aguilera album, most of which haven’t aged well.

1. Kelly Clarkson ~ Breakaway
My favorite artist, period, and every song on here is a beast. Favorites: "Because of You," "Beautiful Disaster," "Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes"

2. Lady Gaga ~ The Fame Monster
The Fame without the occasional filler songs. So--you get the best of the best here. The only miss on the album (for me) is "Teeth." Otherwise, good times. Favorite: "Bad Romance" (of course)

3. Pink ~ Funhouse
Her best album, imo. I could put this one on repeat for days and still not be tired with it. Favorites: "Mean," "I Don't Believe You," "So What"

4. Adele ~ 21
It speaks for itself.

Favorite: "Someone Like You," though all the songs are amazing (and the single choices have been very on the mark).

5. Taylor Swift ~ Fearless
I know people generally hate Taylor Swift because she's overexposed, her image appeals to teenyboppers, and she can't sing. That said, I first noticed her back when she was still "country," and she came out with "Teardrops On My Guitar." It was a very sweet, boy-centered song (generally, only men can write these types of songs about women in country--rarely the other way around). Still, I was iffy about her, but "Love Story" confirmed me as one of her fans. That one's been played to death, unfortunately, and--although Swift is at a crossroads right now in her career following the regression that is Speak Now, namely that she needs to "grow up" lyrically--this album holds up well. Favorites: "The Way You Loved Me," "You Belong With Me," "You're Not Sorry," "Love Story"

6. Christina Aguilera ~ Stripped
Love just about this whole album. This was definitely her peak. Favorites: "The Voice Within," "Beautiful," "Fighter"

7. Lady Gaga ~ The Fame
Generally amazing, barring 2 or 3 songs. "Boys Boys Boys" is my personal highlight.

8. Jordin Sparks ~ Battlefield
I wasn't crazy about her first album to be honest, which is unfortunate because her second is much better and I don't think many people gave her a second chance (based on the huge drop in sales). The latter half of the album drags into too many ballads, but--isolated--they're all pretty amazing (for me). Favorites: "The Cure," "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" (cover), "Emergency (911)"

9. Natasha Bedingfield ~ Unwritten
The first album I bought for myself; it was a great one. Unfortunately, she went majorly downhill after that, with an occasionally catchy single. It was very disappointing. This album was very much about female empowerment, which makes it even more disgusting that she reverted to songs like "I Wanna Have Your Babies." Sad.

10. Kelly Clarkson ~ Stronger
A mediary between the mess that was My December and the pop dream that was All I Ever Wanted. Unfortunately, she’ll probably never consistently reach the heights of her sophomore album, but she’s still amazing. Nothing can really match the intensity of her loathing--unless you're Adele.

Favorites: "Mr. Know It All," "The War Is Over," "Dark Side," "Standing in Front of You"

Other albums: Spice Girls ~ Spiceworld (The first album I ever owned; more nostalgia than anything, but I still love parts of it), Lady Gaga ~ Born This Way, Kelly Clarkson ~ All I Ever Wanted (Her voice is gorgeous here; there are some amazing songs, though on the whole the album is a little too sugary to be in my top ten.), Pink ~ I’m Not Dead, Sara Evans ~ Restless, SheDaisy ~ The Whole SheBang, Jesse McCartney ~ Right Back Where You Want Me (I don't even know how I ended up owning this album, but I remember really enjoying the majority of it), Faith Hill ~ Faith, Shania Twain ~ Come On Over, Dixie Chicks ~ Wide Open Spaces, Selena ~ Dreaming of You

dvdjunkie · Post by **dvdjunkie** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:56 am

This thread really makes me feel like the "old man" of the forum, but I would like to contribute my favorites. Don't have the computer knowledge to post pictures, but here is a list of some of my favorites, the ones that don't wander to far away from the CD player.

1. Who's Next - The quintessential "best rock album" ever made. This features Roger Daltrey in great voice, Pete Townshend's guitar licks can't be touched by anyone, and John Entwistle's bass licks are absolutely the coolest and what else can you say about the best drummer ever in rock and roll, Keith Moon.

2. Silk Purse - Linda Ronstadt's breakout album after The Stone Poney's debut. Her voice is so pure, and unaffected. She was truly one of the best female artists in the 70's.

3. Tommy - The Who's infamous rock opera featured some very great instrumentals, and some very powerful vocals from Roger Daltrey. "Pinball Wizard" was one of the biggest hits to come off this album.

4. Music@Work - Canada's greatest contribution to rock and roll, The Tragically Hip, featuring Gordon Downie, provided one of the best of their albums with this powerful outing. One of my favorite groups doing some very memorable music.

5. The Essential Cars - One of the better techno-rock bands of the 79s and 80s who churned out hit after hit for several years. Today their music still stands as something to get the people on the dance floor. "My Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed", "Hello Again", "Drive" and many more hits from this group, who remains among my favorites today.

6. Revolver - One of my favorite Beatles albums of all time. The group was at the top of their game when this LP was recorded.

7. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - What can be said that hasn't already been said by many about this album. Featuring their best known work, and it has stood the test of time unlike many of some of the today's artists. John, Paul, George and Ringo, together were the best rock and roll had to offer in the 60's and 70's.

8. Band on the Run - Paul McCartney led his band, Wings, and took them straight to the top of the charts for years to come.

9. Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page's driving guitar and Robert Plant's vocal sealed their fate as one of the premier hard rock bands of the 60s and 70s. This was and is their finest work from beginning to end. They would record several albums afterward, but critics always compared them to this first album.

10, Bob Seger's Greatest Hits - Twelve of the band's best music from their first hit "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" in the 60's to their infamous rock anthem "Old Time Rock & Roll" from the movie "Risky Business". Seger and his Silver Bullet Band ruled the airwaves and the charts for most of the 70's and early 80's.

Honorable Mentions:

Anything by Bob Dylan

There is a lot more that I listen to, but these 10 albums are always close to the CD player.

Lazario · Post by **Lazario** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 4:56 pm

I've tried to write summaries about my favorite albums at least a dozen times over the past 7 or so years. It can be incredibly difficult to put a passion like music into words. So, instead I thought I would include links to favorites, etc. Where I can find them; the Björk tracks are very hard to find and subject to strict copyright laws (FUCK YOU Warner Bros).

1.

Björk - Post (1995)

4.

Björk - Debut (1993)

5.

Beck - Mellow Gold (1994)

Listen Here:
"Loser" (4:00) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCAy9ErdKY
"Steal My Body Home" (5:34) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-Zh1NeL_4
"Nitemare Hippy Girl" (2:58) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTnEGk2HSLc
"Mutherfucker" (2:06) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C6OQ3rDh_s
"Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" (3:28) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGCWzRO3Dzc
"Pay No Mind (Snoozer)" (3:16) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NroeOyzTkDI
"Fuckin' with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)" (3:52) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsDtvB-0zI

6.

Master P - Ghetto D(ope) (1997)

Listen Here:
"Stop Hatin'" (5:05) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wGkJ3Ke0Qs
"After Dollars, No Cents" (3:36) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GBN7eH_eV0
"Make 'Em Say Ugh" (5:08) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIqANJjIhGs
"Weed & Money" (4:06) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESiy7dBuLiw
"Bourbons and Lacs" (4:11) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVxKEs1dm0U
"Let's Get 'Em" (5:52) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE-LU44CdhM

9.

Joan Osborne - Relish (1995)

Listen Here:
"Pensacola" (4:33) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f_v9x3khsQ
"Crazy Baby" (6:33) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebu9tkSrJ9g

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