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Lord of Nonsensical Crap
06-01-2005, 07:43 AM
I'm pretty sure that this topic must have been done before, but . . .

The purpose of this thread is for people to recommend albums that (a) they they essential to any album collection, and/or (cool.gif they really really like. They can also post why they recommend these albums.
That said, here's my list:

Dead Kennedys- Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death! -Okay, I’ll admit, this is a greatest hits album. However, I’m still advising it, on the grounds that the Dead Kennedys were an intelligent and very, very angry punk band who had opinions and weren’t afraid to show them. Plus, musically, they have a retro-ish touch to them that really adds to the fun factor of their songs. Compared to these guys, modern punk bands look like wussy little emo freaks. BEST SONG: Holiday in Cambodia
Green Day- Dookie- True, American Idiot is a good album, but it’s Dookie that launched Green Day’s career. Dookie is a great punk album if there ever was one. BEST SONG: They're all good, foo!
Green Day- Warning- The album that came before American Idiot, Warning is an album that one can listen from end to end and still enjoy immensely. BEST SONG: Misery.
Metallica- Metallica (aka The Black Album)- The Metallica album which is pretty much the most well-known (other than Master of Puppets, which, sadly, I don’t have). Get it especially for awesome songs like “Enter Sandman” and “The Unforgiven.” BEST SONG: Enter Sandman
Nirvana- Nevermind- Pretty much one of the greatest rock albums of all times (and rhw album that launched Nirvana’s popularity). This album is essential, since Nirvana pretty much led the grunge movement of the early nineties. The songs and music of Nevermind are hardly complex, but they are still brilliant. Plus, let’s face it, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the greatest opening songs ever. BEST SONG: Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Nirvana- In Utero- While Nevermind was full of pissed-off teenage angst, In Utero is darker and more emotional, with a lot of depressing songs like “Pennyroyal Tea,” “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle” and, of course, “Rape Me.” Could In Utero be giving us a glimpse into the tortured soul of Kurt Cobain? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, In Utero is a brilliant album (and personally, I like it better than Nevermind). BEST SONG: Tie between "Heart Shaped Box" and "Pennyroyal Tea"
Pearl Jam- Ten- Another great album from the grunge era, Ten was Pearl Jam’s first (and best) album. Since Pearl Jam was a benchmark grunge band, this album is essential. All of Pearl Jam’s best songs are on this album (though I warn you, Eddie Vedder’s voice can tend to get a bit tiring after a while). BEST SONG: Jeremy
The Pixies- Surfer Rosa- The Pixies are one of the smartest and most influential rock bands out there, having influenced the like of Nirvana and Radiohead. The songs aren’t really well-mixed, and the whole album sounds like it was hastily put together. However, the songs and lyrics are sarcastic and inventive, and often quite humorous. A must-have, IMO. BEST SONG: (undecided)
Radiohead- OK Computer- Another essential album, OK Computer is just fantastic. Radiohead’s songs often have very interesting lyrics, and this is complemented by the weird, broken-computer sounds that many of the songs use. BEST SONG: Karma Police.
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication- While many RHCP fans swear by Blood Sugar Sex Magik, I disagree -- Californication is the best Red Hot Chili Peppers album I have ever heard. From beginning to end, it is brilliant -- each song is excellent, and, of course, the Chili Peppers always have had a unique sound all to their own. Get it. Now. BEST SONG: Scar Tissue
The Sex Pistols- Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols!- This is pretty much an essential album in any CD collection, as it was the Sex Pistol’s best album (and the Sex Pistols themselves are a hugely important band in rock history). The whole album is just great -- which is something of an achievement, since these guys couldn’t sing or play their instruments properly. BEST SONG: God Save the Queen.
Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness- Another must-own, the double-album MCATIS is the Pumpkins’ greatest achievement. True, half of the songs are a little on the sappy side (though many of these are still good), Mellon Collie is still a truly excellent (and very emotional) album. BEST SONG: Bullet With Butterfly Wings
System of a Down- Toxicity- One of my all-time favourite albums. System of a Down are an inventive band who give metal a poetic, lyrical touch that works really well and creates a unique sound of its own (I suppose the term “alternative metal“ might work for them). BEST SONG: Chop Suey!
U2- The Joshua Tree- Let’s face it, the Joshua Tree is a must-have, for this sole reason: it is U2 at their very best. Nuff said. BEST SONG: Where the Streets Have No Name


Other albums that I don’t own, but, from what I’ve heard, but I can still recommend on the basis that they are by bands I like and the fact that they other people highly recommend them as well:

The Clash- London Calling
The Clash- Sandinista
Guns ‘n Roses- Appetite for Destruction
Nine Inch Nails- The Downward Spiral
Peter Gabriel- So
Public Enemy- Fear of a Black Planet

Dennis K
06-01-2005, 07:58 AM
Rory Gallagher: Defender Generally speaking, Rory's strong suit was performing live, and for the most part his studio recordings don't measure up to the live albums (Live In Europe, Irish Tour, Stage Struck). That being the case, Defender stands apart as the ultimate marriage of rock and blues as Rory performed them.

Blues Brothers: Briefcase Full of Blues What? A SNL act mentioned in a list of Essential Albums? You better believe it. For being a couple of comedic actors, Belushi and Akroyd were smart enough to get a kick-ass backing band. With Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn in the band, you knew it was going to be tight and it was going to be good.

Warren Zevon: The Wind America's best and smartest rock songwriter. Even though there are a multitude of guests on this record, it never stops being a Warren Zevon album. Some of the tracks are almost painfully intimate to listen to.

Buddy Guy: Damn Right I've Got The Blues The legend returns in this brilliant showcase.

Ilash
06-01-2005, 03:53 PM
Wait, so we could recommend any amount of essential albums as we wish.

This could take a while.

Okay, here are a few from some of my favourite bands and artists. One quintessential album each.


The Beatles - Abbey Road. The ESSENTIAL album as far as I'm concerned. The first side has six brilliant single songs that are headlined, surprisingly enough, by George Harrison with Something and Here Comes The Sun, two of the most beautiful songs ever. The side-long medley on the second side is even more impressive. Simply a breathtaking ride that moves effortlessly from silliness to sublime beauty over twenty unforgettable minutes. In short, my favourite album ever - at least on a musical level (see the next album).

Also recommended: All of their albums from Rubber Soul on but especially Revolver, the White Album, Magical Mystery Tour, Past Masters 2 (singles collection).

The Who - Quadrophenia If Abbey Road is my favourite album from a musical point of view then this is my favourite album from an emotional point of view. Listening to this from beginning to end will leave you emotionally drained as Pete Townsend explores what it truly means to be a teenager - if not a person - from an emotional and spiritual point of view. And the music is phenomenal too, let's not forget. Townshend's songwriting has seldom been better and the band members' jawdropping skills with their respective instruments have never been more obvious. A truly special album, in every sense of the word.

Also recommended: Who's Next has four of the greatest songs ever bookending five solid-but-unspectacular songs. For a gentler version of the Who check out Tommy with its abundance of acoustic guitars and inredible melodies. Live At Leeds for the complete opposite (but just as great) effect. Who Sell Out for some quirky mid-sixties pop and Who Are You for a great "old" album. Oh and please get a decent greatest hits album to get all their great sixties singles.

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed Roots rock has never been better or more diverse than this. Gimme Shelter is THE apocolyptic song, Monkey Man ROCKS, Midnight Rambler is threatening as hell and Country Honk is just a good laugh. And that's just four songs. This album is especially notable for Keith's amazing guitar work as he takes over lead and rythm guitar playing. Rock and Roll, dudes. Rock and Roll!

Also recommnded: All of their albums from Aftermath to Goats Head Soup with only Their Satanic's being less than great (and even there it is very good) as well as Some Girls, Tatoo You and Voodoo Lounge for some good later albums.

This could take a while, so I'll post more recommendations as time goes on. Great thread by the way, we could really get something going here.

watchinginkdry
06-01-2005, 04:13 PM
Postal Service - Give Up. Ben Gibbard is the best new songwriter in recent years, and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel takes some of the wimpish edge off.

Eric Gorfain - Strung Out on OK Computer. Radiohead's unbelievable CD in a strings arrangement; lays bare the complex structure of the music like an anatomical diagram. I've had several (intelligent) friends mistake it for Bach. (Gorfain has done other Strung Out CDs, but they're all a bit crap imho.)

Tool - Lateralus. It's just good, is all.

Aimee Mann - Magnolia Soundtrack. Rock from a grownup who gets life.

Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Glitter weirdo-rock from Ohio.

Magnetic Fields - 69 Lovesongs. Usually silly, but often oddly insightful, catchy, or beautiful.

Mogwai - Rock Action. Really wonderful "prog rock" (I think; I suck at genres).

Okay I'm stopping now, I swear. There are too many essential CDs.

Eliot Johnson
06-01-2005, 09:58 PM
Playa Fly -- Movin' On Fly takes his listeners through every emotion and damn near every possible subject matter and he sounds great doing it. Lyrically, he shows true talents rather than hiding behind clever metaphors (though he has those too). This is what rap can be. With Blackout's production (which ranges from laid-back to uplifting to sad to downright devilish) backing him, Fly has made what i consider to be a perfect rap album

Playa Fly -- Just Gettin' On Underground rap at its finest. All of Fly's stuff is technically underground, but this has that true underground sound to it (it's actually a re-release of his second underground tape). Playa Fly paints a bleak picture of his life growing up poor and black in the south, and he does it as only Fly can do. "This story has been told a million times / but it's never been told through these eyes of mine." At the end of the album, he explodes into the greatest diss song ever, exposing 3-6 as the sell-outs that they are.

Playa Fly - Da Game Owe Me Playa Fly's most mature album, he immediately slams the listener with four bleak, depressing tracks, before slowly bringing to album through a pair of get buck tracks to it's climax with the uplifting, spiritual "Send for Me." The close of the album is the eerie but equally spiritual "N God We Trust."

Radiohead - OK Computer This is the album where Radiohead truly came into their own. Not that The Bends is band, but OK Computer is where the group we know as Radiohead was truly born. This album is a bit more traditional than their later stuff, but it's wonderful nonetheless. It covers a wide range of subject matter and emotions (from the dark 'exit music' to the energetic 'electioneerin'). I can see why many say this is Radiohead's best, even though I don't agree.

Radiohead - Kid A Radiohead took on a whole new, almost electronic sound for this album. It flows the best of any of Radiohead's albums...Kid A is a sole vision and a wholly unique one at that. This album is very experimental, and yet it still sounds wonderful. The album is a bit dark, but "Optimistic" brings light to this CD.

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief Kid A + OK Computer = Hail to the Thief. I can't sum it up much better than that, this is a perfect mixture of traditional and experimental. The perfect mix of sad and uplifting. This is my favorite rock album of all time. Every lyric draws emotion and makes you think...it's incredible.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon Honestly...do i need to say anything? All Pink Floyd albums are essential, but DSotM stands out (Meddle, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Wish You Were Here are close behind, though).

K-Rino - Ten Year Run Usually, a greatest hits album does not do an artist justice...this one does. K-Rino's unique voice and one of a kind lyrics shine through here.

ZombieHavoc
06-02-2005, 06:41 AM
the problem with lists of albums essential to every collection is that i dont like at least half of the bands/albums listed thus far and would never own the records.

Dennis K
06-02-2005, 07:00 AM
the problem with lists of albums essential to every collection is that i dont like at least half of the bands/albums listed thus far and would never own the records.

Don't be afraid to offer up some selections of your own then.

Voncaster
06-02-2005, 08:20 AM
Pearl Jam Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, Riot Act or Lost Dogs. Ten and Vs are sub par Pearl Jam albums. The band has grown up, writen better songs and released more diverse albums. Do youself a favor and check out something beyond their freshman and sophmore releases.

Marilyn Manson Holywood. For those who think Manson is a one dimentional shock rocker pick up this album. This album tackles religion, America's culture of violence and most effectively his response to the Columbine shootings. Oh yeah and the album really rocks in places too.

The Smashing Pumpkins Machina: The Machines of God. The last official album released by the Pumpkins was the best IMO. Though this bands entire catalogue is very strong.

Dom
06-02-2005, 08:39 AM
Nas - The Illmatic
Tupac - All Eyez on Me
Tupac - Strictly For my Niggaz
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle
Xzibit - Restless
Jay Z - The Black Album
Grandmaster Flash - Greatest Hits
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
Biggie - Ready to Die
Busta Rhymes - Total Devastation

This is what I give people who want to start listening to rap.

grendel824
06-03-2005, 01:47 AM
Magnetic Fields - 69 Lovesongs. Usually silly, but often oddly insightful, catchy, or beautiful.


Ah - one that's not mentioned nearly enough. I took a huge risk on buying this on a friend's recommendation (the full set, so it cost a bit of $$$) and it was amazing. It probably would've been a mind-numbingly awesome 2-CD set, but the stupid/crappy/annoying stuff that just doesn't work helps the gems shine that much brighter...

Rachel Grey
06-03-2005, 02:09 AM
Dio - Magica.

GUYANATHUGG
06-03-2005, 02:19 AM
Guns N Roses- Appetite For Destruction
Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory
Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet
Incubus- Morning View
Massive Attack- Mezzanine

RickThunderclees
06-04-2005, 11:34 PM
Radiohead - OK Computer
Mogwai - Rock Action
Explosions in the Sky - The World is not a Cold Dead Place
Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap
Sigur Ros - ()
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted

Grant
06-05-2005, 03:05 AM
Ah - one that's not mentioned nearly enough. I took a huge risk on buying this on a friend's recommendation (the full set, so it cost a bit of $$$) and it was amazing. It probably would've been a mind-numbingly awesome 2-CD set, but the stupid/crappy/annoying stuff that just doesn't work helps the gems shine that much brighter...

I like 69 Love Songs but I think Holdiay is the best Magnetic Fields record. Nearly every song on that album is good.

RickThunderclees
06-05-2005, 09:17 AM
Postal Service - Give Up. Ben Gibbard is the best new songwriter in recent years

"new songwriter?" ;)

WeaponX
06-05-2005, 08:57 PM
American Idiot, Sgt. Peppers Lonley Hearts, John Williams Spacetaculars (sorry, I'm a geek), Lodon Calling.

Phrozen
06-05-2005, 10:18 PM
Alice in Chains Dirt & Jar of Flies The best albums by arguably the best Grunge Band.

AC/DC Back in Black A classic album with no bad songs.

Iced Earth Alive in Athens A great live album with IE's best singer.