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Post by mummifiedstalin on May 20, 2007 22:30:11 GMT -5
This thread is to combat the thread-of-lists-that-no-one-will-ever-read which is what the "Favorite Albums" thread is about to become.
So, instead, list five albums that you think everyone else should listen to. It can be popular/classic stuff, of course, but it's more interesting to mention things that other people might have missed. That way, this thread could actually inspire people to listen to stuff you like (in a way that "Favorite" threads never do).
And you have to give a one-sentence explanation. I will delete any simple list post with extreme prejudice.
So, my five:
1) Joya by Will Oldham. An amazing "post-folk/Applachian/droning" song-writer with a voice that is intentionally awful -- but he writes some amazingly haunting songs.
2) Ruby Vroom by Soul Coughing. Grooving to word jazz with sweet rhythm guitar, infective beats, and Marvin the Martian running the sampler machine. (Hi there, Mr. A.)
3) Vespertine by Bjork. This album is one of the single simultaneously lovely and strange things I've ever heard...written by an evil cat who has fallen in love with the Archangel Michael. (Come up with a better way to describe it, and you're awesome.)
4) Crappin' You Negative by the Grifters. Totally garage indie, but somehow manages to show that four guys who need beer money can create something that makes you want to both scream along and have it framed in the Met.
5) Boys for Pele by Tori Amos. Even if you're not a fan of her esoteric feminism, you should listen to this album to know what someone sounds like who's capable of creating a personal symbolic world as complicated as Yeats or Blake. Whatever else you can say about her (and some of her songs start to sound the same after awhile), Tori Amos is frickin' smart.
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Post by tantopat on May 21, 2007 5:56:44 GMT -5
Ooh, great thread idea! ;D
1. Sixth Day Single Collection by Gackt - An amazing album with beautifully unique music and no set genre, and the perfect introduction to one of the best voices in Japan.
2. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn by Bright Eyes - One of their less popular albums, this is still one of my faves, and is the perfect for any techno/electronica/rock/experimental music fan (I don't really know what to call this, it just sort of fits into all of those descriptions).
3. Close to the Edge by Yes - One of the best prog rock albums of all time IMO, although the title song's overall weirdness takes some getting used to.
4. Audio by Blue Man Group - These guys mainly use instruments that they invent themselves, and their melodic, almost tribal music is every bit as unique and fascinating as their inventions.
5. Starlight Express (Japan Tour version) by Andrew Lloyd Webber - I know this probably won't be popular with many people, but for fans of musicals, it's the ultimate recording of this show, with the most gorgeous verisons of these songs ever made (hard to find, as it is very rare and highly sought after, but it does occassionally turn up on eBay).
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Post by mightyjack on May 21, 2007 11:54:06 GMT -5
Okay I'll go with the odd...
1) Cotton Mather, Kon Tiki Austin band who were sharp songwriters who never made it big. Good luck finding this CD. But if you do, and you love the Beatles, not just hooks, but guys who really think in the studio and come up with a sound thats captivating and rich, you might dig it as much as I do.
2) Love, Forever Changes Yeah I know I've gushed over this a lot, but if you haven't heard this LP, do it, now. While SGT Peppers is arguable the most important album produced in 1967. I think -gulp- that this was the best album of that year. It's beautiful, the lyrics are a brilliant juxtaposition of the light against dark.
3) 13th Floor Elevators, Easter Everywhere You should hear it just to listen to one of the founding fathers of the psychedelic movement. This is their second and best album. The lyrics focus on psychology and philosophy. They also invented the electric jug, which gives that strange, constant warble, distinct to their music.
4) The Shazam, God Bless the Shazam Oh it's not an important album, it sounds like Cheap Trick meets the Beatles meets the Who. But it is a hell of a ride and loads of fun. This Nashville band has yet to break out in the US, but Oasis loves 'em so much they took them on tour and they enjoy a healthy following in the UK.
5) The Brains, Electronic Eden I don't know if you can track down this album. But if you can find it, give it a go. Tom Gray is a forgotten, well maybe genius is too strong a word, but he was pretty damn good. His biggest hit came when Cyndi Lauper covered "Money Changes Everything" - This is big, electronic, new wavish material. But the lyrics were heartfelt and raw. I love the line where he simply cries out to a woman, "Jesus Christ, Can't we get anything right?" - sums a broken relationship quite well.
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Post by mightyjack on May 21, 2007 11:55:03 GMT -5
Oh wait, I just read, one sentance - oops. Sorry I'm too wordy for my own good.
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Post by mummifiedstalin on May 21, 2007 12:14:29 GMT -5
Oh wait, I just read, one sentance - oops. Sorry I'm too wordy for my own good. Don't worry. I think I broke my own rule. ;D
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Post by Hugh Beaumont on May 21, 2007 13:50:19 GMT -5
This thread is to combat the thread-of-lists-that-no-one-will-ever-read which is what the "Favorite Albums" thread is about to become. You're implying that I'm going to read your thread.
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Post by mummifiedstalin on May 21, 2007 13:51:41 GMT -5
This thread is to combat the thread-of-lists-that-no-one-will-ever-read which is what the "Favorite Albums" thread is about to become. You're implying that I'm going to read your thread. You can read? I thought your posts were just the result of random keystrokes?
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Post by Hugh Beaumont on May 21, 2007 13:53:28 GMT -5
Don't evade the issue.
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Post by mightyjack on May 21, 2007 20:33:42 GMT -5
It is a good idea though, in the past I have LMD to thank for hooking me up with "Love" and Godo for the "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" lp - Oh and Chibodee got me off my ass to buy the Velvet Underground.
And who was that bright young lad who turned me onto Blur and the video with, "Milky"?
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Post by Chuck on May 22, 2007 5:03:30 GMT -5
1. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue 2. June Christy - Something Cool 3. Moby Grape - Moby Grape 4. Iggy Pop - Blah Blah Blah 5. The Jazz Piano - Various Artists (Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Billy Taylor, Mary Lou Williams, Charles Bell and Willie "The Lion" Smith -- recorded live, solos and duets)
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TomServo69
Moderator Emeritus
Gone but not Forgotten
Nothing ever changes........
Posts: 5,467
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Post by TomServo69 on May 22, 2007 7:04:59 GMT -5
Alright, here we go, five albums, short and sweet.
1. Elton John - "Tumbleweed Connection" - Elton's sort of country album. Any fan of folk music (ie Dylan, CSN, Country Joe and the Fish) will enjoy this album. No songs off of this album get much radio play save "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" and "Burn Down the Mission". Taupin was heavily inspired by the American Old West when writing this album. As an added plus, the original version of "Madman Across the Water" is on this album and, clocking in at twice the length of the version from the album of the same name, well, it just rocks.
2. West, Bruce and Laing - "Why Dontcha" - an obscure album from an obscure supergroup. Features Jack Bruce of Cream fame playing alongside Leslie West and Corky Laing formerly of Mountain. A great power trio who all were well known in their former projects but not so much afterwards. With Bruce and West singing, you get a wonderful mix of raw rock.
3. Bloodrock - "Bloodrock" - based out of Fort Worth, TX, my personal favorite of all obscure, overlooked bands of the late sixties/early seventies. These guys were doing the things Black Sabbath were doing as well as several other bands of the time but unfortunately got lost in the shuffle somewhere. Many many many deep and cynical lyrics on this album. Some say that the despair in the lyrics infuenced the punk rock wave that followed later in the decade.
4. Wishbone Ash - "Argus" - the best album from arguably one of the best prog rock bands ever. WA were the innovators of the twin lead in rock music. This idea wsa later perfected by Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden, just to name of couple of bands. This album was the pinnacle of what WA had to offer and it was only their third offering. A perfect mix of prog rock, folk and, amazingly, classical tunes.
5. Frank Zappa nd the Mothers - "Fillmore '71" - and of course no list would be complete without Zappa. This is actually my favorite offering from Zappa. This was when he had Flo and Eddie from the Turtles assing around with him, singing odd backup vocals and adding a random element. But, even with those two goofs, Zappa still manages to blaze through many a great song, all of which barring the last 4 tracks which were a seperate set, that tell a story involving groupies, mud sharks, steamrollers all culminating in a Zappa version of the Turtles classic "Happy Together". The other set features a great version of "Peaches En Regalia" and a Don Preston mini-Moog throwdown called "The Lonesome Electric Turkey". This was also the last show played at the Fillmore East, which just adds to it's classic value.
Well, hope I could help some of you guys who are looking for something new and different to listen to find some decent tunage for your cruising and chilling pleasure.
Servo
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 22, 2007 10:45:01 GMT -5
Okay, I'll play. These are all what I consider to be perfect albums, when regarded as complete works. I also tried to stay away from the "classics" that everyone should already know about. 1) Dig by Adam Again.You've never heard of them, and this album has been out of print for 15 years, so it's nearly impossible to find. So I've made much of it available here. Funky grooves with noise guitar and perfect lyrics. 2) Grace by Jeff Buckley.Atmospheric, intense, haunting, fun, driving, mellow, all rolled into a perfect mix. Jeff's songwriting and voice combined with a tremendous band made for lightning in a bottle. Dim the lights, put on the headphones, and go for a ride. 3) OK Computer by Radiohead.One of the few albums in my lifetime that changed everything when it hit. Every neo-emo band has tried to copy this, and every mid-'90s grunge band wishes they had thought of it. The album that's just the right mix of eccentric Radiohead and rockin' Radiohead. 4) Rainy Day Music by The Jayhawks.All this recent talk of folk music made me revisit this. So many hooks, so many great songs. Gary Louris is my hero, and deserves a seat at the "all-time best songwriters" table. The album's title is quite apt, and on a gray, drizzly day, this is the album you want. 5) Amelia's Boot by Erik Brandt & the Urban Hillbilly Quartet. Equal parts folk, funk, jazz, rock, blues, and pop. A stylistic stew that works surprisingly well. Is it shameless self-promotion because I played drums on it? Sure. But it's still one of my favorite albums and everyone should hear it. (YES, it's available on iTunes.)
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Post by mummifiedstalin on May 22, 2007 11:15:31 GMT -5
2) Grace by Jeff Buckley.His version of Cohen's "Halleluja" is amazing. Does this not count as a classic? heh...to me it does.
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Post by Afgncaap5 on May 22, 2007 11:45:07 GMT -5
1) Running With Scissors by "Weird Al" Yankovic Nearly all of Weird Al's albums are worth picking up, but I think that Running With Scissors is, at the moment, the best average selection if you've never heard his stuff before. You hear him rapping, rocking, polkaing, and if you're a fan of ska then "Your Horoscope For Today" can't be missed.
2) Flood by They Might Be Giants While TMBG have a lot of high quality albums, this is the one that, in my opinion, really put them on the map with hits like "Particle Man" and their cover of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" (although I personally like their later work more.)
3) The Legend of Sweet Commeuppance by Sweet Commeuppance. The first and only album by this band is also the rarest/most obscure album I own, and it's full of filk music for The Legend of Zelda, video games in general, and even the not-quite-legendary "Jones Soda Song" (their most requested (for good reason) song whenever they played at a public venue.)
4) The Soundtrack to the Blues Brothers This soundtrack is just filled with fun music, and great samples of Blues songs that if you've seen the movie you know why you'll like.
5) Dr. Demento's 30th Anniversary Collection Okay, it's something of a cop out, but since I'm a huge novelty music fan I had to list one of Dr. D's compilations; this album has enough classics and enough new stuff (although, "new" is vague since Dr. Demento is well overdue for his 35th Ann. collection) to help people understand just what's so great about novelty music with tracks by the giants (like Weird Al and Tom Lehrer) and the more obscure folks out there.
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Post by Hugh Beaumont on May 22, 2007 15:32:46 GMT -5
And who was that bright young lad who turned me onto Blur and the video with, "Milky"? *raises hand* What Blur have you listened to, so far?
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