I have been listening to a lot of music in my travels lately. It got me to thinking about the great albums of the past 25 years. Best written, performed and produced. The "Sgt Peppers" or Pet Sounds. If I had to pick 3, for me it would be:
Blood Sugar Sex Magik - cover to cover a masterpiece. Their writing and playing were on point and Rick Rubin did an unbelievable job producing. The depth inside the music is unreal. Mouth forks, trash cans, toy pianos.
OK Computer - rarely does am album come out that sounds like nothing before it and be almost perfect. The guitars on this album are among the best. Songwriting was amazing and it's a very passionate album.
Black Messiah - D'Angelo. This album, to me, is a generational album. In my top 5 of all time. The funk of Sly, soul of James and his own darkness. Every song has great blending of genres. Hell, one song has steel pedal twang in it. This album doesn't get its due because the music industry sucks , but 20 years from now this will be considered one of the most influential albums of all time.
Thanks. On my que for my short flight to Charlotte.
Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
I like Pinkerton too, blue album more. But also interesting is I prefer the Bends to Ok Computer (though no one else does)
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In comment 13046481 pjcas18 said:
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
I like Pinkerton too, blue album more. But also interesting is I prefer the Bends to Ok Computer (though no one else does)
I happen to like the songs on The Bends more. But , OK Computer is more comprehensive/complete/well produced album to me (if that makes sense)
Check out Black Country Communion. By the looks of it , they could be right up your alley. New album and tour in 2017
As far as rock goes new(er) bands these guys are one of the best ('59 Sound and Sink or Swim are both solid albums)
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In comment 13046481 pjcas18 said:
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
I like Pinkerton too, blue album more. But also interesting is I prefer the Bends to Ok Computer (though no one else does)
I prefer The Bends as well. You are not alone. One of my favorite albums of all time. Jeff Buckley's Grace, Portishead's Dummy come to mind off the top of my head for a trio.
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In comment 13046482 feelflows said:
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In comment 13046481 pjcas18 said:
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
I like Pinkerton too, blue album more. But also interesting is I prefer the Bends to Ok Computer (though no one else does)
I happen to like the songs on The Bends more. But , OK Computer is more comprehensive/complete/well produced album to me (if that makes sense)
I like the way Ok Computer flows, clearly they spent a lot of time arranging it that way, and it's probably a better produced album, but it sucks on shuffle on your iphone. from an album standpoint it's like an OL where the sum of the parts is better than individual components.
Can't decide between this and Yoshimi. I know Yoshimi much better, but Soft Bulletin is awesome too (and totally different which is great).
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In comment 13046482 feelflows said:
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In comment 13046481 pjcas18 said:
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
I like Pinkerton too, blue album more. But also interesting is I prefer the Bends to Ok Computer (though no one else does)
I prefer The Bends as well. You are not alone. One of my favorite albums of all time. Jeff Buckley's Grace, Portishead's Dummy come to mind off the top of my head for a trio.
It's sad how much amazing music Buckley's premature death stole from us. Voice of an angel, amazing writer and guitarist.
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Can't decide between this and Yoshimi. I know Yoshimi much better, but Soft Bulletin is awesome too (and totally different which is great).
Soft Bulletin reminds me of early Pink Floyd...where you get entranced in the music and before you know it, it's over.
And that came in handy, when a year later, my father was diagnosed and went through just about every situation that album beautifully portrays. Just an amazing piece of work - not just my favorite of the last 20, one of my favorites, period.
The Let's Face It album from 1997 came at a time when there was nothing new coming from the industry. The 'Tones are a more jazzy/ska version of one of my all-time favorites from the 80's, the English Beat.
Listening to it now. Half way through. Do you listen to Son Volt or Uncle tupelo?
Amen.
Listened to Headlong Flight this morning.
PLANS: Death Cab for Cutie - yes, I'm a middle aged white guy, so miserable bands like Marci Playground and Death Cab are right up my alley, and Plans is one of there best, a great album, easy to listen to - Ben Gibbard has one of the most pleasant voices out there, this again - one of my fave's.
Felt Mountain, Goldfrapp - there is just something beautiful and very sweet about this album, about Allison Goldfrapps voice and the lush productions on this album that keeps it loaded in my playlists - definitely one of my favorites in the new millennium.
My Wilco pick would be A Ghost Is Born. I still adore that album.
The Let's Face It album from 1997 came at a time when there was nothing new coming from the industry. The 'Tones are a more jazzy/ska version of one of my all-time favorites from the 80's, the English Beat.
One of my favorites. I hit their hometown throwdown every year in Boston around Christmas time. Was better at the Middle East in Cambridge, but still good in Boston at the HOB. I've seen them up and down the East Coast. 9:30 Club in DC is one of my favorite places to see them (or anyone for that matter).
I feel like for my taste Don't Know How to Party or Question the Answers would be options for this question.
I saw them debut the Impression that I get at Fenway before a Sox game. The only reason I went, LOL.
The Let's Face It album from 1997 came at a time when there was nothing new coming from the industry. The 'Tones are a more jazzy/ska version of one of my all-time favorites from the 80's, the English Beat.
I saw them that tour open for Primus at Roseland. Tales From The Punchbowl tour. I was drenched by the end of the night, needless to say. Such energy.
Far and away their best album. One of THE most rockin' albums you'll ever find. Cemented among my Top 5 Favorites.
As one reviewer pointed out, it came out when hair bands and metal were at their height...and the second side alone completely blew them all away.
I think Achtung, Baby! came out @25 years ago(?) Another Top 5 for me.
I second "Flaming Lips" with their album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Great stuff. I saw them live in Norfolk a few years ago. Amazing live show!
My Wilco pick would be A Ghost Is Born. I still adore that album.
Ghost is what I was going to post, but since you've already mentioned it, I'll add another:
The National - High Violet
Dirt, Pinkerton, Ok Computer, Blood Sugar sex Magik
will add:
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
and Arcade Fire - Funeral
Far and away their best album. One of THE most rockin' albums you'll ever find. Cemented among my Top 5 Favorites.
As one reviewer pointed out, it came out when hair bands and metal were at their height...and the second side alone completely blew them all away.
I think Achtung, Baby! came out @25 years ago(?) Another Top 5 for me.
Ahhh. SHMC is amazing. That being said...Amorica is a masterpiece. That is their peak, for me. Perfect flow, great songs.
It's a great sex album. Starts with the dirtyness of Gone...ends with Descending.
Dirt, Pinkerton, Ok Computer, Blood Sugar sex Magik
will add:
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
and Arcade Fire - Funeral
Good call on Funeral.
This thread will expand my playlist for sure.
Others:
The Cure - Disintegration (if that still qualifies)
The Shins - Wincing the Night away
Arcade Fire - Three reall< diefferent yet really great albums "Funeral", "The Suburbs" and "Reflektor".
Metallica - S&M
Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
Halestorm - The Strange Case of...
I think In Utero is the better album.
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Nevermind?
I think In Utero is the better album.
Definitely a valid argument. Personally, I give a slight edge to Nevermind, but I can see preferring In Utero.
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In comment 13046639 Section331 said:
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Nevermind?
I think In Utero is the better album.
Definitely a valid argument. Personally, I give a slight edge to Nevermind, but I can see preferring In Utero.
Strangely for me it was a trend, I also prefer Pearl Jam's Vs. over Ten, and STP's Purple over Core.
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Interesting. I prefer Pinkerton.
Also a Pinkerton guy. However, without Blue, there would be no Pinkerton.
Here's one I don't get back to enough, but it's one of those albums where I never need to skip a single song.
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bravery, Repetition, and Noise
Beta Band - The Three E.P.'s
The National - Trouble Will Find Me
Beck - Sea Change
Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
Beach House - Bloom
Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
Neil Young - Mirror Ball
REM - Monster
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Beck: Guerro (Tough choice between Midnight Vultures and this one, but I'm going Guerro).
The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan (IMO, Jack White's best work, a bridge to what was to come later in his solo career. Hard to believe this was made by just two people, really just one minus the drums, as it has so many instruments played by White that drive the songs. The music pours out of him and you focus on the rif and not the instrument. You often forget whether you're listening to piano, bass, guitar, etc...)
Honorable Mention The Raconteurs: Consolers of the Lonely (A supergroup of sorts, Jack White can just shine musically without being front and center, but the rest of the band more than holds it's own. I'm anxiously awaiting another album from these guys. Hope it happens eventually).
All fantastic albums from beginning to end, the kind you can put on and just listen straight through.
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bravery, Repetition, and Noise
Beta Band - The Three E.P.'s
The National - Trouble Will Find Me
Beck - Sea Change
Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
Beach House - Bloom
Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
Neil Young - Mirror Ball
REM - Monster
Soundgarden - Superunknown
To each his own, but I can't believe I'm seeing Monster as a top album. It's widely panned by fans of REM as their worst album of all time. I remember back when there were CD Trade-In Centers all over that just a couple years after its release, there were always several copies of Monster available. What do you like about it aside from Kenneth?
B.A.D II (Big Audio Dynamite) (Mick Jones) The Globe:
Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret:
Dinosaur Jr, Where you been:
Jesus and Mary Chain Honey's Dead
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Misfits - American Psycho (older stuff is better but doesn't meet the 25 years)
Pavement, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Rancid ...And out come the wolves
that's all for now...
Adele- 21
Amy Winehouse- Back to Black
Ray Charles- Genius Loves Company
John Legend- Get Lifted
Daft Punk - Discovery, Random Access Memories
Eminem- Marshall Mathers LP
Chris Stapleton- Traveller
Hamilton- Original Broadway Soundtrack
Lauryn Hill- Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Alanis Morisette- Jagged Little Pill
Dave Matthews Band- Before These Crowded Streets, Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King
Radiohead- OK Computer, Kid A
The Strokes- Is This It?
U2- All That You Can't Leave Behind
Hey, thanks for the reply. Different strokes! I have sort of a random favorite REM song..."Green Grow the Rushes" from Fables of the Reconstruction. Love my REM channel on Pandora.
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Yeah I know that album want to popular with some of the fan base, but I thought it took balls to change their sound up that much, and IMO they pulled it off. I like the entire album; Crush With Eyeliner is probably my favorite REM tune.
Hey, thanks for the reply. Different strokes! I have sort of a random favorite REM song..."Green Grow the Rushes" from Fables of the Reconstruction. Love my REM channel on Pandora.
Superman is my favorite REM song, they had a strange history. started out as alternative rock pioneers and changed their sound quite a bit.
Great call, I thought it was older than 25 years. It's not, I thought it came out in 89/90.
I'd also add,
Arcade Fire has hands down my favorite albums in my lifetime
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
And my #2 is LCD SoundSystem's albums
Self Titled Debut
Sound of Silver
This is Happening
Also heres a few others
Darkside - Pyschic
Modest Mouse -The Moon and Antarctica
Tame Impala -Currents (first two albums also really good)
M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Earlier albums also really good and Hurry Up We're Dreaming is also a masterpiece)
Gary Clarke Jr - Blak and Blu
Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.
What's the Story Morning Glory? - Oasis
OK Computer - Radiohead
The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem
In Utero (or Nevermind or both) - Nirvana
War Stories - UNKLE
Ten - Pearl Jam
It's Blitz - Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
The Chronic - Dr. Dre
Is This It - The Strokes
The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
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In comment 13046883 Go Terps said:
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Yeah I know that album want to popular with some of the fan base, but I thought it took balls to change their sound up that much, and IMO they pulled it off. I like the entire album; Crush With Eyeliner is probably my favorite REM tune.
Hey, thanks for the reply. Different strokes! I have sort of a random favorite REM song..."Green Grow the Rushes" from Fables of the Reconstruction. Love my REM channel on Pandora.
Superman is my favorite REM song, they had a strange history. started out as alternative rock pioneers and changed their sound quite a bit.
REM is 3 different bands. Early, popular (document through Monster) and later.
I have a great appreciation for the later albums. I rediscovered Reveal this year. Gorgeous album. Very Beach Boysesque. Summer Turns To High is a masterpiece.
Up is a wonderful album as well. At My Most Beautiful was our wedding song. I think they went out on top.
It's funny, until Up I felt Life's Rich Pageant would never be topped.
Helmet, Meantime
The Jesus Lizard, Goat and Shot. Shot doesn't get the critical love that Goat did but it's a personal favorite.
Sonic Youth, Dirty
Fugazi, The Argument and In on the Killtaker
Alice in Chains, Dirt
NIN, Broken....no, it's not a full length album and The Downward Spiral is the one everyone loves. I disagree. Broken is eight songs of utter brutality and rage. Love it.
Morphine, Cure for Pain
Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
Megadeth, Countdown to Extinction
The White Stripes, Elephant
Ministry, Psalm 69
Jawbox, For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Everclear, Sparkle and Fade....highly underrated. Most people only remember Santa Monica, but there are no bad songs on this album.]
Johnny Cash, American Recordings
Tool, Undertow
Butthole Surfers, Independent Worm Saloon
Primus, Pork Soda
Soup is great. My sleepers in the 90s were:
Soup
Amorica
Northern Soul - The Verve
I wore those out
The only thing about the Black Messiah album is that it is so complex that sometimes it can be an overwhelming listen, if that makes sense.
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Dust of Retreat
The only thing about the Black Messiah album is that it is so complex that sometimes it can be an overwhelming listen, if that makes sense.
I don't hear that, but I get it. When I put on Black Messiah I get taken in right away. I actually feel like I'm IN the album. I get the complex thing. I get that with Zappa at times.
Some of my other favorites:
Animal Collective - Feels
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun
Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Dave Alvin - King of California
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Dave Alvin - King of California
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
No Jacksonville City Nights?? Psht.
Good call on all of them except Dave Alvin...I've never heard that. I will check it out.
Jason Boland
and it could be any of the couple albums before this one too.
You'll swear this album was recorded in a garage in 1970. An amazing slice of fuzzy stoner rock. That lineup could only keep it together for one album and an ep but GD was it good. I wish more people knew about this band
Proper, Poet, and the Pig - ( New Window )
Plymouth Voyager.
and it could be any of the couple albums before this one too.
That was their radio friendly turn but IMO it doesn't get any better than Thickfreakness with Rubber a Factory a close second
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Black Keys El Camino
and it could be any of the couple albums before this one too.
That was their radio friendly turn but IMO it doesn't get any better than Thickfreakness with Rubber a Factory a close second
I wouldn't argue that one bit.....for me I was late to the Black Keys party and because of the radio friendly release i dug up their other stuff and loved it. But that's what makes it iconic IMO even if not "better".
I like their ska stuff better.
Journey to the End of the East Bay is their best song.
I like Let's Go too, it's how I heard them initially - Salvation was worn out on my CD player, but I like even Indestructible better than Let's Go.
From Indestructible Born Frustrated is great.
I like them all. Radio was written by the guy from Green Day I think. Or he co-wrote it. He almost joined Rancid before having the success with Green Day. Would have been a very different world, I like Rancid a lot, but Billie Joe just might have had a cool impact on Rancid - and I'm not a Green Day fan though I liked their first couple albums.
Lateralus - Tool
40 oz To Freedom - Sublime
Oh Inverted World / Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
Smoke em if you got em / The Full Custom Gospel Sounds - Reverend Horton Heat
Anchor Drops - Umphreys McGee
Bird in a House - Railroad Earth
Too Far To Care - Old 97's (honorable mention to Most Messed Up by Old 97's)
D - White Denim
Desaguou - Andre Sampaio
Highway Companion - Tom Petty
Shame Shame - Dr. Dog
Things We Do - Indigenous (album release was 1998 but I couldn't help myself. the song Holdin' Out is a great place to start with this very talented electric blues band)
Til The Medicine Takes - Widespread Panic
Transistor - 311
3030 - Deltron
Too High To Die - Meat Puppets
Audioslave - self titled
Rodrigo y Gabriela - self titled
Drunken Lullabies - Flogging Molly
Queens of the Stome Age - Songs for the Deaf
Them Crooked Vultures - self titled
Above - Mad Season
Today We Sail - Boris Garcia
Some great choices already. I'll add:
Suger, Cooper Blue (barely makes the 25 year threshold)
Temple of the Dog (ditto the time criteria)
Queens of the Stone Age
Looking forward to shagging down the ones noted that I haven't heard.
One of the most ambitious albums of my lifetime. Mind bending concept, defies categorization, and features some downright blistering musicianship
Anderson Paak - Malibu
Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker
Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book
Leon Bridges - Coming Home
Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Moses Sumney - Mid-City Island [technically an EP]
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Earlier stuff:
Jeff Buckley - Grace
A Tribe Called Quest- People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Green Day - Insomniac
NOFX -Punk in Drublic
Any of Rancids first four albums
Lifetime - Hello Bastards
Catch-22 Keasbey Nights
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal Laughter
The Copyrights -North Sentinel Island
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Okkerivl River - Down the River of Golden Dreams
The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts
The Reindeer Section - Sons of Evil Reindeer
Anthony & the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now
Bands of Horses - Everything All the Time
The National - Boxer
The Antlers - Hospice
Josh Ritter - Hello Starling
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Original Soundtrack, Jeremy Soule (Composer)
The Music of Hans Zimmer: Definitive Collection
And my personal favorites:
Sun; Thomas Bergersen, composer
Battlecry, Invincible, Miracles, Illusions are all masterpieces from 2 Steps from Hell.
If you like that stuff and you haven't listened to The Shape Of Punk To Come by Refused, you need to.
It's unlike any other hardcore album I've ever heard.
40oz to Freedom should have been mentioned at least 137 times more. Can't pick a "greatest" but holy shit that's a great album. Easily the most stolen album of my college yrs too
And ya...QOTSA, Black Keys, White Stripes, Them Crooked Vultures all could find their way in. Just at the tail end of the 25 you still have Metallica's Black album & GnR Use Your Illusion (tho the latter as a start to finish album maybe not...still lots of great stuff).
A couple that I didn't see on quick look:
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock. Just got reacquainted last night...so good
Play - Squeeze
When I Was Cruel - Elvis Costello
Painted From Memory - Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
Woodface - Crowded House
Burning Questions - Graham Parker
Monster - REM
Vitalogy - Pearl Jam
Achtung, Baby - U2
2. Slim Shady LP
...and the rest aren't even close. People who didn't even like eminem were buying his music and even in a time when piracy in music became a big thing, he still blew up the charts. The lyrical content on Marshall Mathers LP is untouchable and like he said, eminem from that point was his "own competition"
Maybe others are Linkin Park-hybrid Theory. That didn't have the shelf life as MMLP did. I was listening to that all the way until the eminem show came out in 2002.
I don't want to put Nirvana Never mind, if that is even elligible.
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Okkerivl River - Down the River of Golden Dreams
The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts
The Reindeer Section - Sons of Evil Reindeer
Anthony & the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now
Bands of Horses - Everything All the Time
The National - Boxer
The Antlers - Hospice
Josh Ritter - Hello Starling
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
I like a lot of these as well. The National may be my favorite band. I think High Violet is their best album but Boxer and Alligator are right up there too. Bon Iver deserves mention on this thread and I like The Antlers a lot too. Anthony & the Johnsons took me a while to get into but it's a beautiful album. I'll have to check out some of these others. Good stuff.
40oz to Freedom should have been mentioned at least 137 times more. Can't pick a "greatest" but holy shit that's a great album. Easily the most stolen album of my college yrs too
And ya...QOTSA, Black Keys, White Stripes, Them Crooked Vultures all could find their way in. Just at the tail end of the 25 you still have Metallica's Black album & GnR Use Your Illusion (tho the latter as a start to finish album maybe not...still lots of great stuff).
A couple that I didn't see on quick look:
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock. Just got reacquainted last night...so good
Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Dave Alvin - King of California
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
You should check out Lucero, they are also an excellent live band if you have the chance to see them.
4. Nirvana - Nevermind
3. Jeff Buckley - Grace
2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
1. Radiohead - OK Computer