It seems like we had some good fun with the “Your List of Favorite Music Artists ever” thread. So I thought we’d give it another go this week.
This week’s challenge is a little bit more difficult ... offer “Your List of Favorite Album’s ever!”
Once again, this is YOUR list of YOUR favorites, using whatever criteria you want.
Sure, albums such as Revolver, Exile on Main Street, My Dark Twisted Fantasy, Pet Sounds, Are You Experienced?, OK Computer, Blonde on Blonde or What’s Going On? are unquestionably the greatest and most important ever. But are they really YOUR favorites?
The only rule I’ll put in place is that you can’t name any greatest hits, singles compilations, or soundtrack albums, unless the soundtrack was almost completely composed for the movie. In other words, The Big Chill and Guardians of the Galaxy … no; Saturday Night Fever, … yes.
I’m going to go for a Top 25, but if that’s too many for you, go with a Top 20, or Top 10 or … whatever.
Here goes …
#1 -- Who’s Next? -- The Who – I got turned onto the album around 1980, and still love each and every one of the nine songs on the album. “We’re all wasted!”
The Rest of the Top Ten … (not in any particular order)
The Cars – The Cars – The Cars could never again come close to this masterpiece, but to me, this work sounds as good today as it did 40 years ago. “Always it's some other guy!"
The Pretenders – The Pretenders – No comments here other than: “I shot my mouth off and you showed me what that hole was … for.”
Automatic for the People – R.E.M -- I could put several R.E.M. albums on my list. But this is their best, and every track is perfect. “All of this is coming your way.”
Rumors -- Fleetwood Mac – About five years ago, Paul Rudd and Vanessa Bayer starred in an SNL skit as a divorcing couple who join in their love of “I Don’t Want to Know.” I was amazed at how strong of a song this is while it’s really a secondary song on the album. “Damn the dark, Damn the light!”
Nevermind – Nirvana -- When I first heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” I was blown away. I bought Nevermind the next day, and it continued. “Just because you're paranoid don't mean they're not after you”
Kid A -- Radiohead – Probably listened to this album about five times in a row right after I bought it. “This is really happening.”
Astral Weeks -- Van Morrison -- There’s really not a single on the album, but there may not have ever been a more beautiful album, beginning to end, in the history of rock and roll. “And I shall drive my chariot down your streets and cry.”
Wincing the Night Away – The Shins -- Stayed up many nights listening to this album – “I'm a victim to the impact of these words.”
Reckoning – R.E.M. -- This was the second R.E.M. album I ever owned. I bought it a few weeks after Life’s Rich Pageant because of how much I liked that one. “I should keep myself in between the pages.”
Rounding out the Top 25 (again ... not in any order)
Hail to the Thief – Radiohead -- I think this album more often “finds a groove” than any other Radiohead album. “She’ll be a walking disaster.”
Pretzel Logic – Steely Dan -- My sister played this album all the time in the 70’s. I didn’t quite get it then. “Where did you get those shoes?”
Ghost in the Machine – The Police -- The best sounding Police album, with so many songs that remind me of great days in high school. “I resolve to call her up a thousand times a day.”
Armed Forces -- Elvis Costello – Declan at his best. “We only hit and run.”
I'm the Man -- Joe Jackson – I kinda really got into Joe and Elvis at the same time, which is to say about 7 years too late. “I can’t seem to say or do the right thing.”
Merriweather Post Pavilion – Animal Collective -- One of the few albums of the last 20 years that has felt like a true collective wonderful work. “You’ve got a real good shot.”
Crazy Rythyms – The Feelies -- Got turned onto this album when I read that Peter Buck played this album until the grooves were worn out. “Break the scream with a silent void.”
Natural Ingredients -- Luscious Jackson – I just really, really like every track. So does my wife. “It takes a strong man to stand by a strong women.”
Play -- Moby – Saw Moby at the Rolling Rock Town Fair and not long after this album came out. He climbed all over the stage and scaffolding. It was pretty weird ... and cool. “Soul got happy and stayed all day.”
Green -- R.E.M. – Green came out right about the same time when I starting dating the women who would become my wife. The memories of that time alone put this one on the list. “It’s a beautiful life … your life”
Ill Communication -- The Beastie Boys – I know that Paul’s Boutique is tremendously more important, but this album got me to love the Beasties. “Yeah, how you wanna kick it?”
Oh. Inverted World – The Shins – I don’t know how many people know the Shins, but Zach Braff is right. They’ll change your life. “Lucked out, found my favorite records.”
Exile in Guyville -- Liz Phair – Just emotionally devastating from beginning to end. “And almost immediately I felt sorry.”
Points on the Curve – Wang Chung – We are all entitled to our guilty pleasures, and while this one isn’t a bad album by any means, it’s certainly not on the list of 1001 album you need to hear before you die. But it was the first album … well, cassette … that I bought when I decided to start my own collection and my girlfriend at the time and I played it nonstop. “Entranced, my traveled the two of us.”
Drumming on the Walls – The Affordable Floors – In a parallel universe, the Floors break out of Pittsburgh to great success. “Never want to swear I’m breathing air.”
Others receiving votes: 1999 – Prince, The Joshua Tree -- U2, Led Zeppelin II, New Adventures in Hi-Fi - R.E.M, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Doolittle -- Pixies, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit – Courtney Barnett, The Trick of the Tail -- Genesis, Everything is Wrong – Moby, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We -- The Cranberries, A New World Record, E.L.O, Let it Be – The Replacements, Fun and Games – The Connells, The Doors, Rubber Soul -- The Beatles, Countdown to Ecstasy -- Steely Dan, Whatever and Ever Amen - Ben Folds Five, The Queen Is Dead -- The Smiths, Warehouse: Songs and Stories - Husker Du, Spooky - Lush
