Masterpiece Albums

[NarxistDan]

Does it say more about the people who post here, or about the state of recording that so few of our favorites are from the current century?

Beatles - Revolver
Springsteen - Live '75-'85 box set (I know its a live recording but still...), Nebraska
Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Dylan - John Wesley Harding, Blood on the Tracks
Tom Waits - Blood Money
Upsetters - Super Ape
Thelonious Monk - All of his Blue Note sessions
Modern Jazz Quartet - Django
Quasimoto - The Unseen
Lootpack - Soundpieces: Da Antidote
Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus
Charlie Parker's first Savoy bebop session (Koko, Now's The Time, Billie's Bounce...)
Songs of Leonard Cohen
The Band - Music From Big Pink
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...
Mr. Lif - I Phantom
Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
Neil Young - Harvest
The Breeders - Pod

Tons more...too many for one list...not enough recently

[O_ellinas]

No point in repeating what's already been said, I'll just add two:

rock:

On the Wings, by Socrates drank the Conium. 1973 heavy prog rock with the most incredible guitar work. Check it out, you'll thank me later. Available on CD at Amazon.

jazz :

The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie - great fun, lotsa humour, killer chops and lush 50s jazz stereo sound.

oh and +1 on Johnny Cash at San Quentin. Kicks ass like there is no tomorrow.

[KungFuLio]

I'll bite. I think people should've also listed their ages with their post (btw 47). I'd love to know the age group of people that are listening to all those 60's and 70's "masterpieces".

My only criteria is the whole album had an emotional impact on me. That said, here goes...

Beck - Sea Change
Blue Nile - A Walk Across the Rooftops
Brian Eno - Ambient 1:Music for Airports
Camper Van Beethoven - Key Lime Pie
Elvis Costello - King of America
Duncan Sheik - Phantom Moon
Gillian Welch - Revival
Jellyfish - Bellybutton
Joe Jackson - Night and Day
John Scofield - Quiet
Jon Anderson - Olias of Sunhillow
Joni Mitchell - Hejira
Laurie Anderson - Mister Heartbreak
Lisa Loeb - The Way It Really Is
Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth
McKinley - Big Top Shop Talk
P.M. Dawn - Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross
Paul Simon - 1st album
Randy Newman - Sail Away
Ry Cooder - Ch?vez Ravine
Shawn Colvin - A Few Small Repairs
Steely Dan - Aja
Tears for Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
Thomas Dolby - The Flat Earth
Upper Left Trio - Cycling
Weather Report - Black Market
Yes - Going for the One

I was hoping this wasn't going to be a long list and it's absent of a lot of jazz "masterpieces" but maybe I'll list those later.

It's been a fun list to watch grow!

[Fritz]

lot's of faves listed already.

Airto - Fingers
Buena Vista Social Club
Traffic - Barleycorn, Mr Fantasy
Clash - London Calling
Stones - Flowers thru Exile
Beatles - Rubber Soul thru White
Miles - Skecthes
Coltrane - Love Supreme
U2 - Achtung
Tull - This Was, Stand Up, Benefit
Springsteen - Born, Darkness, The River, Born (again)
Small Faces - Ogdens
Townsend Lane - Rough Mix
Beck - Truth
Bowie - Heroes, Low, Pin Ups
Los Lobos - Kiko, Colossal head,
Bo Hansson - Lord of the Rings
Jimi - Axis, Experienced?
Frankie Miller - Highlife
Eurhytmics - Revenge
Ornette, Petty, Jayhawks, Yes, Zeppelin, Tommy Bolin, Amy Winehouse

ahhhhhhh, I was just goona list the 1st 2.

[fairdrive]

I suppose I am too young to have good taste yet, but.....

Weezer- Blue Album

I'm amazed that I haven't seen that one yet. Obvious and mainstream but come on it's pretty darn amazing. This album made me want to play music.

Some other amazing albums I haven't seen yet

Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther (front to back one of the most solid albums I've heard in 5 years. Amazing, nerdy folkish laid back music with some throw back 70's vibes at certain times and radiohead at others. Trust me!)


Dianogah - Battle Champions (Two bass players. Mostly instrumental quiter songs with just enough noodleyness. Great for that long ride back after you go see some crazy show like 4 hours away.)

REM - Automatic for the People (My favorite REM album and the only one I love front to back)

Wilco - A Ghost is Born (About the only one I haven't seen mentioned but it's currently my favorite. First track's guitar sound is awesomely raw. Love the messy solo in Muzzle of Bees.)

Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates (I love almost every song they play but this album I like best front to back. Man, these guys are good. Drummer, bassist, guitarists...everyone.)

NOFX - Punk in Drublic (Come on, give some nods to the punk rockers. I love these guys. So stupid and silly but they are quite talented with their harmonies and rhythms.)

The Postal Service - Give Up (I love Death Cab too, but this album is so different. I haven't heard anyone do anything like this.)

I also have to give Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness an honorable mention because it's the only double CD I've ever felt was actually worth releasing. I love all the classic stuff too by the way. Just figured I'd throw out some newer stuff no one had mentioned. Oh man!! And the Decemberists - Her Majesty, another of my favorites in the last 5 years or so.

[Foliage]

ooh! ooh!! I like this topic.

The Flaming Lips: Clouds Taste Metallic
Mum: Finally We Are No-one
Heavy Vegetable: Frisbee
Beck: Mutations
Pinback: This is a Pinback CD
Mice Parade: Obrigado Saudade
Paul Simon: Self-titled
The Lemonheads: Come on Feel (great when you're walking around)
Sonic Youth: Washing Machine
Aphex Twin: Come to Daddy (technically an EP but, whatever)
Joanna Newsom: The Milk-eyed Mender
Kate and Anna Mcgarrigle: Self-titled
Nick Drake: Pink Moon
The Pixies: Can't decide between Surfer Rosa and Doolittle
Sean Lennon: Into the Sun
The Band: The Band

And few that I quite like but might deny in certain company;

Jeff Buckley: Grace
Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream
Nirvana: In Utero
Billy Joel: The Best of Billy Joel

The Beatles certainly rate for me too, perhaps the white album and Abbey Road are my favourites.. perhaps

[jckinnick]

Link Wray 1972 Selftitled album

[jakeao]

Lets see...

Foo Fighters - Colour and the Shape
Green Day - American Idiot
My Chemical Romance - Black Parade.
Beck -Odelay
GNR - Appetite for Destruciton
Deftones - White Pony, Saturday Night Wrist
+1 for Tool - 10,000 days
Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball, Fumbling Toward Extasy
Blind Melon - Nico
Sheryl Crow - Self Title
Pearl Jam - Yeild
Lag Wagon - Hoss
Counting Crows - August and Everything after.
Verbena - Into the Pink
Buddy Rich - Blues Caravan
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
John Tess - Sax on the Beach

[kingnimrod]

Melvins - Lysol
Jesus Lizard - Goat
Faust - Ravvivando
Neu! - Neu!
Residents - Buster & Glen
Beefheart - Mirror Man
Bad Brains - ROIR album
Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics
Skinny Puppy - Last Rights
Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
MC5 - Kick out the Jams

[HeavyHand]

Edward Scissorhands Soundtrack - Danny Elfman
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Ray Lamontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black
Fionna Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Mofro - Country Ghetto
Mr.Bungle - California
Rage Against the Machine - S/T
Yes - Close to the Edge (so intense!)
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are you Experienced?
Wilco - Skybluesky
Soundgarden - Superunknown

[jmiller]

A masterpiece among masterpieces; the muse behind many a Godrich produced masterpiece...

[timbone]

Link Wray 1972 Selftitled album


"fire and brimstone" rules.

[Anaon]

Some of my all time masterpieces favourites:

? Brave by Marillion
? Alternative 4 by Anathema
? Ommadawn by Mike Oldfield
? Close to the Edge by Yes
? Ok Computer by Radiohead
? Selling England by the Pound by Genesis
? Remedy Lane by Pain Of Salvation
? Still Life by Van Der Graaf Generator
? Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
? From The Choirgirl Hotel by Tori Amos
? Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
? Rising by Rainbow
? Red by King Crimson
? Blackwater Park by Opeth
? De-loused in the Comatorium by The Mars Volta
? Smpte by Transatlantic
? Over by Peter Hammill
? Hounds of Love by Kate Bush
? Harvest by Neil Young

[pootkao]

A masterpiece should be that oh-so-illusive complete work -- where lyric and melody and production and performance combine to form a magical experience, from beginning to end.

My picks...


1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

2. The Catherine Wheel - Adam & Eve

3. Radiohead - Kid A

4. Bjork - Medula

5. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

[mjau]

Lately I've been floored by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Sings Greatest Palace Music.