Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Perfect Albums
As far as perfect albums, I'd go with Revolver.
I want to agree, but I frequently end up skipping Love You To. Sorry, George.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
Fistmaster General
To add to an already impressive list here, here are some of my votes for perfect
Metallica - And Justice For All
Alice in Chains - Facelift
Blind Melon - Blind Melon
Cake - Fashion Nugget
INXS - Kick
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
"I... am a fucking moron." - MattM
Like Blind Melon's "Bee Girl" video.
Someone listed Meddle by Pink Floyd earlier in the thread. I bought a copy this weekend. Pretty good. You can hear the coming of Dark Side Of The Moon in it. I didn't hear any unifying themes, either musically or lyrically, though the song Echoes is an entire side and is cohesive in it's journeying out and returning home by the end. One song on there is definitely a throwaway—the blues song with the dog howling all the way through it--a sound collage. Don't want to hear that one again. This record feels like a transition. A pulling away from any Syd Barrett influence and a leap towards that great trilogy that was to come. There's a Beatle's influence on this record. One melody reminds me of Dear Prudence. And I don't think there is Echoes without Revolution #9 first. This might not be a perfect album, but it's a perfect transition album. Only great bands have transitions like these. You can hear and feel the creative stretching.
Proboscis Colossus
Yeah, I guess +1 for Appetite for Destruction. I've gone back and forth all day about it but if I were stranded on an island I would want it.
This is the one that immediately came to mind for me, too. From what I understand, the band already had some serious cracks in the foundation when they recorded it, but man, you sure can't hear it.
Other ones that come to mind:
Mother Love Bone - self-titled (actually two albums stuck together after Andrew Wood's all-too-soon death, but they each have a right to the title)
Pearl Jam - Ten (which was a result of the situation just above)
The Cure - Disintegration
Extreme - Pornograffiti (the acoustic numbers sound a little out of place, though. Weird that they were the two singles)
Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience
Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs
Yuck - Yuck
"God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people
Hip Redux
Ha, I haven't listened to Mother Love Bone in decades! Blast from the past.
I saw you wrote this, and I thought "okay, maybe I'm missing something?". So, I listened to it on the way home from work today (dug it out of my wife's collection). I am so NOT with you on this. Maybe you have some kind of emotional attachment to this album, but I can't figure out anything musically redeeming about it (lyrically, vocally, instruments - nothing). Even if you liked the sound, you don't get embarrassed by Cajun and Cheatin'? I could hardly listen. But, all music is subjective, so, I guess I'm just interested in hearing what you like about this.
I'll admit to having a bias against these dudes. I saw them live two years ago? for an acoustic set and they totally shipped it in (like forgetting lyrics, forgetting how songs end kind of ship it in).
BTW, I always feel kind of douchy ripping albums or songs or movies or professional sports, because, shit - what have I done? I'm sure the lead singer of Gin Blossoms would come to my office and be all "Dude, this powerpoint deck lacks inspiration, and that chart showing your sales to steel and metals is inane, boring, and the colors SUCK.".
I saw you wrote this, and I thought "okay, maybe I'm missing something?". So, I listened to it on the way home from work today (dug it out of my wife's collection). I am so NOT with you on this. Maybe you have some kind of emotional attachment to this album, but I can't figure out anything musically redeeming about it (lyrically, vocally, instruments - nothing). Even if you liked the sound, you don't get embarrassed by Cajun and Cheatin'? I could hardly listen. But, all music is subjective, so, I guess I'm just interested in hearing what you like about this. I'll admit to having a bias against these dudes. I saw them live two years ago? for an acoustic set and they totally shipped it in (like forgetting lyrics, forgetting how songs end kind of ship it in). BTW, I always feel kind of douchy ripping albums or songs or movies or professional sports, because, shit - what have I done? I'm sure the lead singer of Gin Blossoms would come to my office and be all "Dude, this powerpoint deck lacks inspiration, and that chart showing your sales to steel and metals is inane, boring, and the colors SUCK.".
I agree in substance with everything you've said, but (all due respect to you and mab411), I would not go to see them in concert for free (gas paid for, oil change thrown in).
MTA: At the very least I should put myself out there:
Simon and Garfunkel - Concert in Central Park
U2: Achtung Baby
Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet
Norah Jones: Come Away with Me
Norah Jones: Not too Late
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Metric: Fantasies
Eric Clapton: Timepieces I and II (more like compilations)
Green Day: Dookie
Green Day: Kerplunk (almost, as others have said).
I probably like an album or two worth of Red Hot Chili Peppers, but they put so much content in their albums (to their credit), that I am not sure any one of them is close to perfect. I liked Stadium Arcadium and By the Way.
Did Handel or Bach release any albums?
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
BTW, I always feel kind of douchy ripping albums or songs or movies or professional sports, because, shit - what have I done?
What a great line!
Huh, yeah, I really do like this album from beginning to end. Good call.
Fair enough.
I'm not sure I can put my finger on what, exactly, I like about it (and my wife is about to get here, so I likely won't have much time now). I can tell you, I don't think there's any particular emotional attachment to it, other than it came out during a time in my life I'm somewhat nostalgic about, maybe that's enough. A friend of mine - okay, a girl I had a crush on at the time - and I had a running joke about how she thought the title of the song was "Hey Chelsea." But that's far from the only song I like on the album, and there were other songs we had fun with that come from albums that I can't stand.
I agree about the Cajun song and "Cheatin'," so I it's admittedly not a perfect album for me, but I guess I just consider most of the songs to be well-crafted, guitar-driven pop tunes. It's certainly not at the level of a Dark Side Of The Moon or White Album from an artistic/expressive standpoint. I can tell you I really like how the guitars sound, it might be those clean Strat arpeggio lines that do it for me. I do like most of the lyrics that I remember - here again, not exactly Dylan, but good, earnest, straightforward tunes about heartbreak and hopefulness.
*shrugs* Diff'rent strokes.
NaderAlfie - I like your list, and agree with you on RHCP. So many albums with a MONSTER song or two, or three, but lots of - I hate saying this about such talented (IMO) guys - lots of filler. With one glaring exception: Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which I can't believe I didn't list. I still remember listening to that one, on loan from a friend, and being blown away at each song that came up, not just "Give It Away," as I'd expected. They haven't made an album like that before or since, IMO.
Understood, cool.
And Nader's right, I should put myself out there too...there's a lot that's been mentioned, so I won't repeat any. Here's some proof that I'm hopeless stuck in the 90's (my guitar is permanently tuned down a half step as further proof):
Live – Throwing Copper
Ben Folds Five – The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (even with “Your Most Prized Possession”, yes)
Fastball – All the Pain Money Can Buy
Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (kidding, just seeing if you’re paying attention)
Jackopierce – Bringing on the Weather
Beck -- Odelay
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros -- Streetcore
Runners run
U2: Achtung Baby I probably like an album or two worth of Red Hot Chili Peppers, but they put so much content in their albums (to their credit), that I am not sure any one of them is close to perfect. I liked Stadium Arcadium and By the Way.
Yes, and yes. I love Stadium Arcadium, both discs, start to finish. I LOVE By the Way, with the exception of Warm Tape.
Understood, cool. And Nader's right, I should put myself out there too...there's a lot that's been mentioned, so I won't repeat any. Here's some proof that I'm hopeless stuck in the 90's (my guitar is permanently tuned down a half step as further proof): Live – Throwing Copper Ben Folds Five – The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (even with “Your Most Prized Possession”, yes) Fastball – All the Pain Money Can Buy Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (kidding, just seeing if you’re paying attention) Jackopierce – Bringing on the Weather
heh
Ooooo. Cake's Fashion Nugget is a good call.
I almost never listen to albums all the way through, but one's been burning up my iPhone for a while now. I'm a dork:
Florence + the Machine-- Ceremonials
Call me Ray (not Ishmael)