Entertainment For Lively Minds
Has Anyone Made More Than 4 *Must Have* albums?
Posted by ChaosandMorphine on 11 February 2009 - 8:51pm.
I've got 16 REM albums.
22 Van Morrison albums.
& 22 Joni Mitchell albums.
But are there more than four which are essential?
For Joni, I would say, It's got to be; Blue, Court & Spark, The Hissing of Summer Lawns & Hejira.
They are the ones I would say represent *Must Have* albums.
REM would be; Murmur, Life's Rich Pageant, Document, & Automatic For The People and Van would be; Astral Weeks, Moondance, St. Dominics Preview & Into The Music.
That's not to say that all of the other albums are worthless, but that the top four are head and shoulders above the rest.
So, Has Anyone Made More Than 4 *Must Have* albums?
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Yawn.
Easy.
The Beatles.
Really?
I was going to say 'apart from the Beatles' but then decided to leave it.
So, which ones? And are they just the exception that proves the rule? (so to speak)
I think...
...the answer to your original question must be "yes", given the reaction to your post. Trouble is, when are we going to get time to listen to them all?!?!
Well, yeah I have to agree, but
There are quite a lot here that I would take issue with. For instance, if John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett can be nominated, then I'm gonna have to put Van, Joni & REM in as well. But I don't believe they should go in. Van's 'His Band and The Street Choir' is a great album, Joni's 'Don Juan's Reckless Daughter' is too as is 'Green' by REM. But in the context of my question, are they essential? Would you feel the need to rescue more than four Lyle Lovett or John Hiatt albums if your house was on fire? And those are both musicians I admire btw, which is why I chose to pick on them. As for Greatest Hits and live albums, I would discount them automatically as both are usually full of killer with little or no filler (if they're any good that is)
I'm finding it very interesting though, especially the lack of ladies being nominated. Anyone care to redress the balance?
Fire and rescue
"Would you feel the need to rescue more than four [insert your favourite artist's name here] albums if your house was on fire?"
No, but I'd sure as hell find my iPod...
Good point
Me too!
That probably should have been the post really. 'Your iPod is full, you need to have a ruthless cull. Which artists get to have more than four albums left on it?'
Emmylou, anyone?
Elite Hotel, Luxury Liner, Wrecking Ball, Red Dirt Girl.
In no particular order
the essential ones are
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles For Sale
Sgt Pepper
Revolver
The Beatles
Please Please Me
With the Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour
Abbey Road
Let it Be
Yellow Submarine
Rubber Soul
and Help.
Do get the point
As a BIG fan of the Fabs for over twenty years (I´m 31) I get what you´re saying and your list made me laugh out loud, but Yellow Submarine may not be a "must" have. Not even the remastered edition that makes Hey Bulldog sound like the coolest thing ever commited to tape. But the must haves are still more than four, though. So you get credit for that.
My Beatle-musts are A Hard Day´s Night, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper´s, the white album and Abbey Road. And then The Past Masters volumes because I wouldn´t want to live without I Feel Fine, She´s A Woman, Rain and The Inner Light. Oh, and Magical Mystery Tour. For what would life be without Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane and I´m The Walrus? But that´s it, give or take a few.
See also Miles Davis, even though it would be hard to find two fans of his that would agree on which ones are musts.
And since no one else is likely to mention Wilmer X I feel I should. The have more than four as well.
The Fall
Dragnet
Grotesque
Hex Enduction Hour
Perverted By Language
I Am Kurious Oranj
Shift Work
The Unutterable
Fall Heads Roll
the fall
For myself, not yet being too familiar with the earliest stuff,
I'd say-
HEX ENDUCTION HOUR
PERVERTED BY LANGUAGE
INFOTAINMENT SCAM
THE UNUTTERABLE
FALL HEADS ROLL
and just maybe
IMPERIAL WAX SOLVENT
I've said it before
but there really are not that many artists for whom a decent complilation isn't more than adequate.
Let's take REM - wouldn't you be better off with the IRS and Warners compilations?
And The Beatles - I know it's sacrilege to some but the red and blue albums would do me.
I sold off a whole load of albums on this basis and I have to say I haven't missed them.
No sacrilege at all
An album, as its name indicates, is a collection of songs. And the red and blue albums are the best two. Ever.
Aha! I've just worked out who you are Archie
That was the same response as Alan Partridge when he was asked what his favourite Beatles album was.
no offence but...
You cannot really be a music fan. Compilations are mere entry points to further exploration really, they put everything out of context and do not give a real insight into a body of work.
To me an album should have highs and lows; you cannot distil a truly great band like the Beatles to just a couple of discs.
Not a music fan?
Veteran of 300 gigs!
Anyway, I think you're missing the point - the compilations weren't my entry point. At one time I did own all of (for instance) REM's albums, including the compilations. But I just decided that I didn't need them all and that the compilations would be perfectly adequate, so I sold them.
And I do actually own all the Beatles albums. But were my house to burn down and I had to start again I would probably just buy the blue and red albums.
perhaps
No offence was meant but I fail to see why you have to distil music down to just best ofs. Ultimately it is your choice but i do feel it is a shallow musical existence if we just listen to best of and complilations.
Horses for courses
Surely whether a compilation is an essential item depends largely upon how much you like a particular artist. To use the Beatles as an example, I'm not a big fan so I simply don't want the lows, just the highs. There would be no point in me owning a "proper" Beatles album because I would never play it all the way through. I would, however play a compilation (although the only one I've ever considered is the Blue one).
How do you feel about compilation albums that have been carefully programmed, sometimes by the artist themselves and are not intended to be simply a random collection of songs that are considered to be their best work but are seen as an album in their own right, I'm thinking of The Beach Boys "Endless Summer" which, as a Beach Boys fan is my favourite Beach Boys album or artist led compilations from Elvis Costello such as "Rock & Roll Music"
For me, music listening isn't supposed to be a challenge but an enjoyment. I'll try new things hoping to discover new favourites but if I don't enjoy it I won't listen.
Hmmm...
If I'd just stuck with the Red and the Blue, I'd never have heard No Reply or All I Wanna Do which is the song I've had playing on repeat today.
Can't listen to everything
But it's impossible to listen to everything and we're all bound to miss something. As a music lover I think that one of the saddest things is the thought that there's probably at least one whole album out there that I would love but have never and will never hear. I've often stumbled upon bands by accident that I've gone on to get all their back catalogue. Just last year I stumbled upon Ingrid Michaelson because there was a track on a Paste Magazine CD, I know have her 3 albums and have seen her live and will do so again at the first opportunity. Also last year I caught the last half of the Chatham Counnty Line as a support band who I'd never heard of, I've now got their 4 albums and have been to see them again. That's just last year - there are numerous other examples.
good point but ultimately
good point but ultimately they are still comilations based upon a view other than your own, perhaps there would be tracks hidden away that would be revelatory. The Beatles would often bury great tracks on b sides etc. Take an album like bowie's low, it is probably my favourite of his and has tracks on that are not normally my thing but it just works. i would never have heard this if i just has his best of.
I disagree almost entirely
To begin with, I have the complete works of a number of musicians, but I'd often still choose to put on a compilation. Most of the time, Prince's 'The Hits/The B sides' is exactly what is required. Moreover, it is easy enough to create your own compilation, so that it isn't 'based upon a view other than your own'. And finally, so what? Can't a man have a greatest hits and not be made to feel bad for it?
But are they essential?
You only really need a couple of Fall albums. Likewise, with the Beatles, most people can survive with Sgt Pepper, Revolver, Abbey Rd and The White Album. Four is enough of anybody.
Of course it could be argued
that The Beatles more or less defined modern pop whilst The Fall sound like an angry old git ordering a takeaway over five amplified Hoovers.
Kebab and chips
"Gimme a large don-ah with a large portion-type amount of chips-ah. And. A large coke-ah. Large doner kebab and chips; chips and kebab doner large."
"Sorry mate, what was that? I can't hear you for all that bloody vacuuming going on in the background."
And?
What´s wrong with hoovering?
Nowt.
I just don't want thirty seven albums of it.
I don´t have all of them
But I sort of realized now that you´re right.
Oh No
I must have Rubber Soul, Help and A Hard Day's Night. If I can't have the early albums then I need a good compilation. I could do without Abbey Road, though.
no rubber soul?
no rubber soul?
Dylan:
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Blonde On Blonde
John Wesley Harding
Basement Tapes
Blood On The Tracks
Desire
Oh Mercy
Time Out Of Mind
Key them up on a playlist - nice way to spend a weekend.
I think you can whittle it down to 4
Your first three and BOTT would do me nicely.
You've described my entire...
...Dylan collection. I did have Blonde on Blonde at one point, but found it mostly tiresome.
Key Dylan
Currently my complete Dylan collection consists of:
the Greatest Hits compilation from 1967;
Blonde on Blonde;
Time Out of Mind.
Any suggestions on what my next one should be?
Blood on the Tracks.
...Though obviously, I am least qualified to advise
Dylan is one of the rare acts to qualify...
... this is pretty close to what was mentioned before:
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan,
Bringing It All Home,
Highway 61 Revisited,
Blonde On Blonde,
John Wesley Harding,
Blood On The Tracks,
Slow Train Coming.
A house should hang it's head in shame if it doesn't possess these little wonders.
Yup...
Blood On The Tracks
then Desire
then Street-Legal
I can't listen to Desire any more
Too fiddly by half.
I love that mournful
fiddle playing.
I hate that awful
fiddle playing. Renders that album genuinely unlistenable for me. And the Bootleg Series album of the Rolling Thunder review is even worse. I will listen to any Dylan album, even Down in the groove, before I'll listen to Desire.
Desire
There is more in Black Diamond Bay than in some bands entire careers.
He looks really short on the cover
Street-Legal? Really? Kudos to you.
Street-Legal...
...is, when I'm in that sort of mood, my favourite Dylan LP. The way Changing Of The Guard fades in gets me everytime.
Dylan
JWH
New Morning
Planet Waves
Street Legal
Shot of Love
Oh Mercy
Under the Red Sky
All pretty much essential..
Sixteen
years.
Essential R.E.M.
I'd say the top four would be:
Reckoning
New Adventures In Hi Fi
Life's Rich Pageant
Green
Ooh,
Controversial selection, Kid!
Controversial, perhaps
But so, so right.
'Green' at the top, mind. Oh, and swap 'Life's Rich Pageant' for 'Up'. But nearly. (Retires, hurt.)
Why thank you....
Some further thoughts...
I got into the IRS albums a few years later, so whilst Murmer is great it didn't have the "debut impact" on me and Reckoning just grabs me so much more. New Adventures is criminally underated and one of their most varied, whilst still keeping a consistent tone that sits very well as a whole piece.
Up is an interesting album, and an interesting choice. It does have some great stuff on it, particulaly the synth ones like Hope and Falls To Climb.
One whole REM album
is surely stretching 'essential' to its etymological limits. Aren't they a just slightly interesting pub band with mandolins?
A Whole Album?
Oow, I'd have thought a double A-side would be plenty. The End Of The World As We Know It on one side, Everybody Hurts on the other. And even then that wouldn't get played much in our house!
Slightly snobby people
Hello? Where's Automatic for the People? Up you can stick. As it were.
New Adventures
I'm with the kid here - New Adventures and Reckoning would be my top two. I can see the (high) quality in Murmur, but Reckoning just seems more listenable.
New Adventures is my favourite, though.
And also
They are essential but so are murmur, document, automatic for the people and out of time. It is hard to think of another band, apart from the beatles, who have made as many essential albumns.
Essential R.E.M.
I read this just as I've pressed play on Reckoning for the first time since July 2007 (thanks iTunes!)
But I'd choose a different 4:
Life's Rich Pageant
Document
Automatic For the People
Up
It's all subjective
Beggar's Snack
The Stones' essential foursome:
Exile on Main Street
Let It Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Sticky Fingers
+ The London Years compilation.
(Though anyone of wealth and taste would buy everything up to Goat's Head Soup).
i'd say that
you could safely add Some Girls to that lot and you've a definitive five; it's not *as* good as the stuff from that purple patch, i'll grant you, but for the fact that the lazy shits actually took a bit of notice of what was going on around them and tried to respond, they deserve credit!
There are those that would say 'get your ya-yas out' is fairly essential too; perhaps we shouldn't count live albums!
Just for a second there,
I misread that as adding the Spice Girls to the list!
King Crimson
Islands, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, Red
I repeat myself when under stress
You have to put Discipline in there. Absolute genius.
Is this now drifting into
"Which four albums would you choose", territory? In which case, here's my sixpence:
Pet Shop Boys:
Actually
Introspective
Behaviour
Very
(Fundamental was good, but didn't really bring anything new to the table, at least not enough to dislodge one of the above. I'm highly optimistic about their newie, though).
Smiths/Mozzer:
Hatful of Hollow
The Queen Is Dead
Bona Drag
Vauxhall And I
Sparks:
Kimono My House
No. 1 In Heaven
Gratuitous Sax And Senseless Violins
Hello Young Lovers
Nick Cave would be a good one to do, but I'm only familiar with his work from Let Love In onwards.
Sparks
I would struggle to choose between Kimono My House, Propaganda and Indiscreet which, to means they are as essential as each other which means that your Sparks list should be 6 albums.
I was just about to suggest a Cave foursome...
...so here goes:
The Boatman's Call
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Henry's Dream
though I could be persuaded to drop Henry's Dream in favour of Murder Ballads, depending on my mood.
And while I'm here, I think the following four Bowie albums would add something to most collections:
Ziggy Stardust
Diamond Dogs
Scary Monsters
Hunky Dory
(Oh just seen the Bowie posts further down the page. At least we more-or-less agree!)
Caves finest
Have to agree with you almost to the letter on Nicks meisterworks.
Now for Mr Waits
Raindogs
Swordfishtrombones
Mule Variations
Alice
and at a push Orphans which although a collection of out-takes more or less is better than most albums i have heard
Tom
Closing Time
Small Change
Bone Machine
Real Gone
Notwithstanding the recent compilation this includes his most recent album. He is getting better with age whereas others on this blog peaked some time ago.
Cave
Surely Tender Prey should be on the essential list? Let Love In also, maybe. But what to drop?
Old Nick
I am old-school Cave fan -
Henry's Dream
Your Funeral... My Trial
Kicking Against the Pricks
...and another from anywhere you choose.
Kicking against the pricks
My Cave introduction, a gift from a friend who considers it essential Cave as it has swearing in the title! Not neccesarily the most reliable criteria but a bloody good album all the same.
Neil Young surely must get well past four
Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere
After The Goldrush
Harvest
Rust Never Sleeps
oh bum that might be it...anyone want to argue for Landing On Water..
Not trying hard
Add to your Neil list:
On The Beach
Freedom
Harvest Moon
Zuma
Ragged Glory
This Note's For You
Mmm,
Not a bad shout between the two postings, but I'm gonna have to challenge you on Harvest Moon at the very least. 'Natural Beauty'? 'Such A Woman'? The first is 8 minutes too long and the second is just bad.
Trans?
Gets coat...
Not exactly essential
But I'm glad to see I'm not the only person in this country who thinks Trans is quite a good album.
Tonight's the Night
No self respecting 'Essential Neil Young list' is without it.
Seconded
I'd probably say you would absolutely need:
On The Beach
After The Goldrush
Zuma
Tonights The Night
Sleeps With Angels
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Harvest
I'd also be hard pressed to go without Freedom, Comes A Time, Ragged Glory..and though a lot of people don't seem to rate them, I think some of his recent albums have been great. Prarie Wind in particular is a real grower and Chrome Dreams 2 is still getting a lot of my airtime.
(I'm also pro-Greendale, by the way).
Decade
a triple album of his first 10 years - Essential listening. I'm still waiting for the next 30 years worth (which appears to be coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray - what if you don't have a stereo that plays those?)
Rather a fan of "Landing on
Rather a fan of "Landing on Water"....no, really I am...
Second Time Lucky, Mr Bowie is past the tape
Hunky Dory
Ziggy Stardust
Young Americans
Station To Station
Low
Heroes
Scary Monsters
smashes the four barrier without even trying...plenty of good stuff left in the tank too.
I'd take the last four
off that list.
Too much filler for me. But I'd add Diamond Dogs.
No Aladdin Sane?
Drive-in-Saturday and Time are essential Bowie.
What about
'Let's Spend The Night Together'? Spoils it for me and I could live without hearing 'Time' again to be honest. But there are some crackers, we can agree on that at least!
Lose the young Americans
Even though the title track is my favourite Bowie song ever, I'd miss off YA - but the others are all essential for me.
What about Space Oddity ?
so :
Space Oddity
Man Who Sold The World
Hunky Dory
Ziggy
Aladdin Sane
Diamond Dogs
Young Americans
Station to Station
Low
Heroes
Scary Monsters
ouch !
Roxy Music
Roxy / Siren / Stranded / For Your Pleasure / Country Life / Avalon / Flesh + Blood
Roxy albums
are all good. But are Siren, Country Life, Avalon, & Flesh and Blood *really* essential? Avalon is mostly filler, Flesh and Blood has two mediocre covers Country Life and Siren are nearer the mark but neither one cuts it for me.
John Martyn
Solid Air / Bless the Weather / One World / Grace and Danger / Live at Leeds
Or maybe
Inside Out, Sunday's Child, Glorious Fool, Cooltide
Steely Dan
Can't Buy A Thrill / Countdown to Ecstasy / Pretzel Logic / Katy Lied / The Royal Scam / Aja / Gaucho. OK, I'm biased and I love the Dan but that has to be one of the most amazing run of albums anyone has ever put together.
Can't really argue with you.
That is a remarkable run and in only 9 years.
Oasis
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Not only essential...
...but compulsory, I think you'll find. Check the legal code in your country of residence.
STEVIE WONDER:
Music Of My Mind
Talking Book
Innervisions
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Songs In The Key Of Life
And after that lot, you're still going to need a greatest hits or two.
Well,
someone who knows more about this than I said - 'Stevie Wonder's Contusion on 'Songs From The Key Of Life'.(sic) It should have had the subtitle 'Pointless fretwankery from my shit hot band'.
And
'Loves In Need Of Love' goes on and on and on. (It was playing in Borders the other day and I browsed the book and cd section had a coffee and paid for my purchases and it was still going)
Start running
There's a warrant out for your arrest.
Now, if you'd only had the good sense and decency to bow down in homage to the genius that is Stevland, you wouldn't be in all this trouble.
Psst,
It's not just me...
wanted on five continents
for the easily avoidable crime of not melting in front of Stevland :
for some people, Hotter Than July is a great album, and for others (not just me)
A Time 2 Love was the best thing since Songs in the Key...
Contusion is great - try playing it !!
Miles Davis
Sketches Of Spain
Miles Ahead
Porgy And Bess
Kind Of Blue
Milestones
In A Silent Way
Slighty different than my
Slighty different than my selection, but with that long and varied a recording career, finding more than 4 must haves is easy, I think.
You're not trying Patrick
For Miles you have to add the Prestige albums:
Workin'
Steamin'
Cookin'
Relaxin'
as well as Seven Steps to Heaven
Anyone with more than 50 albums
is out! :-)
Add these...
Miles Smiles
Filles De Kilimanjaro
Tribute To Jack Johnson
On The Corner
Miles Davis
I'd say you need:
Birth of the Cool
Kind of Blue
Sketches of Spain
Bitches Brew
Tutu
Doo-bop
Miles is tough
But yes, surely he cruises past the magic 'four' mark.
I would take Patrick's list exactly for personal taste, but to get even the best example of every style he had a go at, you need to buy quite a few.
Add to the 'Crowther Six':
Walkin'
ESP
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Get Up With It
Dark Magus
Er, I quite like Miles Davis.
jazz greats
The greats of jazz will really mess up the 4 album theory. Here's one, Duke Ellington, i have over 40 Ellington Albumns and i would not part with any of them. What about Mingus, Monk, Coltrane, Bill Evans etc you could get to 10 quite easily with these.
Whither
'Pangaea'??
It broke up
To give us the world as we know it, says Mr Literal.
The Who
I'd have thought you would need:
The big ones - Tommy, Quadrophenia, Who's Next, Live at Leeds.
But then there's My Generation and Who Are You as well.
Well
Do you really need Quadrophenia?
Pink Floyd
Dark Side Of The Moon
Wish You Were Here
Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Meddle
The Wall
Any advance on 5?
The Wall
was cut from my iTunes library when I realised I only like one track. (and I think I prefer the Scissor Sisters version of that, too....
not really!)
Isn't Waters just a whinger? A more ponderous Keane, but with better musicianship?
Comfortably Numb
Sorry, anyone even considering covering Comfortably Numb should be prevented - slap a Grade 1 listing on it.. (Although I think Waters' band do it live better than the Floyd did, but he uses three lead guitars.)
I think you can get two sets of four out of Floyd/Waters
Dark Side of the Moon
Animals
The Wall
The Final Cut
Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
Radio K.A.O.S.
the live double Cd, whatever it was called
Ca Ira
X-Factor
Anyone?
Well personally...
Must admit I'm a big fan of Division Bell, I know that it's solely a Gimour album but I love it anyway.
The Division Bell
I do also love The Division Bell, I'd say it would be an essential for me, but I wasn't sure whether to put it in as it's quite removed from the others. But then again so is Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
'The Final Cut' is a wonderful record...
all the bad press it's had over the years is just bullshit. It's perhaps Roger Waters' most personal work and has some stunning lyrics and music. It is time it is reappraised and placed alongside the great Pink Floyd records.
Agreed...
It sounds great, it has wonderful, poignant lyrics, great guitar and stellar production ("Holophonic soundstage", I believe). I'm sure the participants would remember the songs more fondly if there hadn't been such bitterness during the recording. Granted, Gilmour only gets to sing one lead, but the songs are clearly very personal to Waters and he certainly conveys them with a passion. (On a similar theme, can you imagine Daltrey singing the confessionals on "Who by Numbers"?)
I also like "Amused to Death", though bizarrely, it seems to have dated more than "The Final Cut"
Yeah
I think I have to agree with you here mate. I did Floyd to death in my twenties and I never understood the bad critiques that were lumped upon TFC. Ok, he's droning on about the pain and injustice of war again but my goodness me, so eloquently. "Not Now John" a most beautiful F**k of Thatcher, go rest your head in the Fletcher Memorial Home!
I don't play it much these days. I don't play any Floyd much these days, but when the mood takes me I can always get a good buzz from lobbing on TFC.
not The Wall
I would drop The Wall, and add Animals
and possibly Obscured by Clouds as well.
Dave
Depeche Mode, obviously
Some Great Reward
Black Celebration
Violator
Songs of Faith and Devotion
Ultra
Exciter
Playing the Angel
Many their album titles resemble condom brand names because they contain several very pleasurable experiences that typically last about 4 minutes.
Elvis has at least 6
My Aim is True
This Years Model
Armed Forces
Spike
Get Happy
Trust
More Elvis
I would have to add Imperial Bedroom and King of America to your essential Elvis list. Pleased to see the often-overlooked Spike geeting a mention!
Am I.....
....the only person who likes "Almost Blue"?
Mighty
Mighty Like A Rose and Momofuku
I didn't want to push my
I didn't want to push my luck with the list but I really should have included Imperial Bedroom in the first place. I was very tempted to include Almost Blue but I left it out because it's essentially a (brilliant) covers album. I think If I did the list again in 5 years time I would probably include the criminally ignored Momofuku as well but I think I need the distance of time to make a proper judgement.
Spike is excellent isn't it? I bought that at a Sunday night midnight signing at Tower Records that was preceeded by an impromptu acoustic performance on the pavement outside by Elvis and Nick Lowe of What's So Funny...
Bruce
I know he is currently dividing opinion but...
Wild, Innocent and E Street Shuffle
Born to Run
Darkness on the Edge of Town
The River
Nebraska
Tunnel of Love
and I'm sure there would be votes for Born in the USA (not ageing well), Magic, Rising and Tom Joad
its more fun to try and pare it to 4
Born to Run
Darkness...
Tunnell of Love
and
Seeger Sessions
Bruce
My four would be
The River
The Rising
Magic
Human Touch ( controversial !!)
Human Touch naah!
Lucky Town is the better of that pair
Magic is the first Bruce in a while that I didn't "get". While after the first few listens Working On A Dream is looking like a real gem.
Tom Waits
I think he is a contender for the more than 4 rule, but if I had to choose my essential 4 would be:
Small Change
Swordfishtrombones
Rain Dogs
Alice
I'd switch
Heartattack and Vine for Alice. No arguments about the other three, though.
Yup, those 4 and add
Yup, those 4 and add Heartattack And Vine & Mule Variations
XTC
should really be in any collection;
Skylarking
Oranges and Lemons
Black Sea
English Settlement
Apple Venus
being the 'ones' to own!
Bang on the money
This would be my essential list exactly
yes yes yes yes and yes
(and wasp star too, I'd venture)
Kraftwerk Essentials
A solid score of five good 'un's:
Autobahn
Radioactivity
Trans-Europe Express
The Man Machine
Computer World
I agree
with the issue. Although swapping Radioactivity for the live album is acceptable
Radiohead
The Bends
OK Computer
Kid A
Amnesiac
In Rainbows
All essential and different enough from the others to make it well worth your time owning all of them. I will now back away to a safe distance.
What about Hail to the Thief
seems to be suffering from an unfair backlash
Hail to the Thief
Probably their best record...
I totally agree that HTTT is
I totally agree that HTTT is outstanding.
I was waiting
for someone to light that particular firework - glad I read to the bottom before suggesting them.
Though why not swap Amnesiac for Pablo Honey (re-order the list obviously) and have a full Radiohead progression?
*edit*
The bottom of the list shifted while I wasn't looking.
Even Radiohead
wouldn't try and include Pablo Honey
Where's Hannah when we need her?
Wow... more Radiohead fans on the blog!
I'd go for:
In Rainbows
OK Computer
The Bends
Amnesiac
Kid A
was included because I feel Radiohead are a band with *more* than 4 must have albums. I dare say, David, that most fans would take Kid A over Amnesiac though I'm not one of them. 'You and Whose Army' and 'Knives Out' are *too* essential though I'd miss The National Anthem, it's genuinely euphoric live. Pablo Honey for me is a little too in awe of Dinosaur Jr. and Pixies to be essential and I never really got to grips with Hail to the Thief. It's not a bad album, by Radiohead's or anyone's standards, I just can't find a place for it.
Like several people I've talked to
I think between Kid A and Amnesiac is one really good album. Then you have a long argument about which tracks would be used to make that good album.
HERE!
Cheers David, I'd completely missed this one.
*does dance of joy*
album choices:
In Rainbows
OK Computer
The Bends
Kid A
Absolutely...
*raises eyes to the heavens and smiles*
Spot on - even in the 'right' order.
'In Rainbows' is (IMHO) the definitive Radiohead album, easily passing the 3-month test for me and would probably be my Desert Island Album. It is clearly driven by all that went before.
Finally...
Noticed that you seem to be the only one who's posted a Radiohead comment. Don't these people have ears? Oh yeah they'd rather listen To Bruce Springsteen or REM. HA!
And this fella
Elvis C: My aim is true, this years model,almost blue and king of america
(sorry, missed the above, but in answer to bigstevie, nope, you ain't, almost blue would be my number 1)
How I solved my problem with Almost Blue
I dumped it soon after purchase and went straight to George and Tammy. It saves so much time.
Funny that,
I find room for all of them. But I reply only as an excuse to shamelessly plug Willie and the Wheel, just out, Willie Nelsons seemingly 400th LP this year, this tim with Asleep at the wheel. An enjoyable if not necessarily life-changing romp. Better than either his Sly and Robbie, his Wynton Marsalis or his Ryan Adams/Cardinals collaborations of recent times. No songs on youtube yet, but I got the record on e music yesterday.
These guys (and gal, when "present")
fairport: unhalfbricking, liege and lief, rising for the moon, gladys' leap
What, no...
...Full House?
It was close
I just needed to include one up to date one (i.e. 1987!), which I do actually return to reasonably often, if maybe only for Mattacks drums.
Zeppelin
....I II III IV.
Make that 5
Physical Grafitti.
Second That!!!
Well, being me I'd say the entire Zeppelin catalogue!
Brian Eno
Here Come The Warm Jets
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Discreet Music
Music for Airports
My Life In The Bush of Ghosts
Also:
On Land
Apollo Atmospheres & Soundtracks
Another Green World, surely?!
...and the first Music for Films is indispensable for me.
Tom Waits albums
My four would be
Heart Of Saturday Night
Orphans ( ballad disc)
Closing Time
Heartattack and Vine
The Smiths
All of them really.
The Smiths
Hatful Of Hollow
Meat Is Murder
The Queen Is Dead
Louder Than Bombs
Strangeways Here We Come
Could lose Rank and The World Won't Listen if I had too. Never much liked live albums and The World Won't Listen is nearly the same album as Louder Than Bombs.
Personally, The Smiths are the epitome of quality control - they should give Ryan Adams lessons.
Hmm,
two compilations?
Ryan Adams is a good example of what I was getting at (and I think he's harshly judged - the whole idea that he has no quality control is just lazily trotted out as the norm now. He's much better than that. But, having said that, out of ten albums I would struggle to pick more than three that are *really* top draw)
I hold The Smiths compilations
dear to my heart. They work really well in my book.
I think Ryan Adams is great and all of his albums are worth are punt. But Gold is the only one I play all the way through, a lot.
Ryan Adams
I'd have:
Love Is Hell
Cold Roses
Demolition
29
Runs for early 90's cover....
Vote here for the Manics.....
Generation Terrorists
The Holy Bible
Everything Must Go
Send Away The Tigers...
Bruce (obviously)
The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle
Born to Run
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Nebraska
AC/DC
High Voltage
Let There Be Rock
Highway to Hell
Back in Black
No Gold Against the Soul
?
No...
Two decent tunes (From Despair to Where and La Tristessa) but the rest sounds like some poor gloopy Sandy Pearlman cast offs from the Give Em Enough Rope sessions
Sleepflower and Roses In The Hopital are good...
...but it's definately an "album of two halves".
How about....
Steve Earle
Copperhead Road
I Feel Alright
Jerusalem
El Corazon
Loudon Wainwright III
Attempted Mustache
Career Moves
History
Last Man On Earth
Tom Waits
choose any four
Joe Jackson
I'm The Man
Jumping Jive
Look Sharp
Night and Day
Lyle Lovett
Pontiac
The Road To Ensenada
Lyle Lovett
My Baby Don't Tolerate
Steve Forbert
The American In Me
Alive On Arrival
Evergreen Boy
Jackrabbit Slim
Bruce Springsteen
choose any four except "Lucky Town" and "Human Touch"
John Hiatt
Beneath This Gruff Exterior
Bring The Family
Perfectly Good Guitar
Slow Turning
BB King
There Must Be A Better World Somewhere
Love Me Tender
Six Silver Strings
Live At San Quentin
Eric Clapton
461 Ocean Boulevard
Slowhand
Unplugged
Another Ticket
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pronounced
Second Helping
First and Last
Nuthin' Fancy
and of course, already mentioned, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, Eagles, Beatles, Stones, Neil Young and Steely Dan.
.... and those not mentioned so far that I can't be bothered typing out - Richard Thompson, Dire Straits, Ryan Adams, SRV.
Yes, I'd say there were quite a few artists that have made at least 4 "Must Have" albums.
Well nobody else is going to mention them dept.
Chumbawamba: anarchy, wysiwyg, readymades, a singsong and a scrap
(OK, quibblers could say that the accoustic version are a separate band, but quibble on)
Don't touch: un, swinging with raymond
Preaching to the converted: tubthumper
Sod Bob and the Fabs
SONIC YOUTH
Sister
Daydream Nation
Goo
Dirty
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS
Radiator
Mwng
Rings Around The World
Phantom Power
BLUR
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Parklife
Blur
Think Tank
CHEMICAL BROTHERS
Exit Planet Dust
Dig Your Own Hole
Surrender
Brotherhood
THE CURE
Pornography
Head On The Door
Kis Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Disintegration
Blur / The Cure
I don't know what I'd do about Blur, I think all their albums are quite good but generally contain at least one or two stinkers. 13 is my favourite though!
I'd actually add "The Cure" by The Cure, from 2004. Great album.
Talking Heads
'77
More Songs About Buildings and Food
Fear of Music
Remain in Light
Not just four essentials, but four in a row.
I'd also argue for...
...Naked - a brilliant, underrated album.
Why stop at Remain In Light?
I really like Speaking In Tongues.
Yes yes yes yes & yes
Just listened to these, one after the other. I think TH were the only band whose albums I bought as soon as they were released, without hesitation. Looking forward to seeing David Byrne next month.
Glad to see there are others out there
TH seem to have dropped off the critical radar somewhat. Can't understand why. If you add Stop Making Sense and the wonderful The Name of this band is... (if we're allowed live albums here) we're easily up to six - Naked and Speaking in Tongues are good, but hardly essential.
Little Creatures
Nobody speaking up for Little Creatures? I think it's rather good too. I prefer it to Naked.
I count
every TH album apart from Naked (that includes True Stories and Stop Making Sense) as stone cold classics.
And are they really off the critical radar? They were certainly often mentioned as a strong influence of the crop of new wave of new wave of new wave of new wave bands that cropped up circa KaiserFutureFerdinands....
Agree on the Heads
also for me Costello has around 10 must have albums and Steely Dan have the award for releasing the best first 4 albums of a career ever.
Now could someone explain how Yellow Submarine is essential listening please?
I can't believe no one has mention the mighty Zep
Keeping it to 4? Really hard but I would go for:
Led Zeppelin 2
Led Zeppelin 3
Led Zeppelin 4
Physical Graffiti
but seems a shame not to have LZ 1.
Tricky.
I did!
Look. Up a bit.
Sorry.......
I see we overlap but not identical
Yes, but...
...I agree that Physical Graffitti is excellent. Actually so is Houses of The Holy (bar "The Crunge"), so that's six stonewall classics!
Not so sure about Houses of the Holy
but bolt the best of it together with the best of Presence and it would be a belter.
Talk Talk
It's My Life
Colour of Spring
Spirit of Eden
Laughing Stock
...the band matures, reaches an apotheosis, then disintegrates. Throw Mark Hollis' solo album from 97 in at the end too if you can.
And while we're at it:
Tangerine Dream:
Phaedra
Ricochet
Logos
Poland
Talk Talk
Good call.
Sounds like a tabloid headline
Phaedra Ricochet Logos Poland
How about some contentious issues
Tresspass, Nursery Crymes, foxtrot, Selling England by the pound
Pictures at an exhibition, ELP, Tarkus, Trilogy
I lost interest in either Genesis and ELP after that, but happily own those 8, playing, well,rarely, but never fast forwarding on shuffle, should anything appear.
The Kinks
Something Else
Village Green Preservation Society
Arthur
Lola Versus Apeman and the Money-Go-Round
Yes!
But where is the mighty fuzz of The Kink Kontroversy?
The Clash
The Clash
London Calling
Sandinista
Combat Rock
sadly no place for Cut the Crap
Surely Sandinista only counts as a third of an album
As there's a decent single LP struggling to get out...
Kate Bush
Kick inside
The Dreaming
Hounds of Love
Sensual World
and also;
Teardrop Explodes/Copey
Kilimanjaro
Wilder
Fried
Peggy Suicide
KB? I'd go for: Kick
KB? I'd go for:
Kick Inside
The Dreaming
Hounds Of Love
Aerial
but you could easily add these two to that list:
Never For Ever
Sensual World
Just to throw in my tuppence's worth...
Radiohead - Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Hail to the Thief
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack, Night at the Opera, Day at the Races, News of the World
Beatles - Revolver, Pepper, White album, Abbey Road
Zeppelin - I, II, III, IV, Physical Graffiti
NIN - Downward Spiral, Pretty Hate Machine, The Fragile, With Teeth
Quo - On the Level, Blue for you, Hello, Quo Live
Based on your spot on
Based on your spot on choices for Queen, Led Zep, Quo, and Radiohead (though I'd also add Amnesiac) I'm going to have to check out those NiN albums, and three out of four are on Spotify - woot!
Nice use of
Woot! there fella. :-)
Like It!
Man you have taste!!! Wanna come round yours for a party. Put your juke box on & drink a few pints. Sorted.
To Lit Doof
Like It!
Man you have taste!!! Wanna come round yours for a party. Put your juke box on & drink a few pints. Sorted.
Oh, and
GIRLS ALOUD
What Will The Neighbours Say?
Chemistry
Tangled Up
Out Of Control
CAN
Tago Mago
Delay 68
Ege Bamyasi
Future Days
Gosh and
PRINCE
Dirty Mind
Purple Rain
Parade
Sign O' The Times
Personally...
I'd go for...
Dirty Mind
Purple Rain
Around The World In A Day
Parade
Sign O The Times
The Black Album
Of all his stuff (and as a massive fan) they're the only ones I wouldn't like to part with.
Selected Poguetry
Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Red Roses For Me
Hell's Ditch
(Might as well buy the lot, though).
Supertramp
Breakfast In America
Crisis? What Crisis?
Even In The Quietest Moments
Crime Of The Century
No effort required! Love
No effort required! Love those albums
Lucinda Williams
Can't get below six. All of these are essential. In alpha order...
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Essence
Lucinda Williams
Sweet Old World
West
World Without Tears
And then there's Todd Rudgren (five)
A Wizard, A True Star
Runt
Runt: The ballad of Todd Rundgren
Something/Anything
The Hermit of Mink Hollow
and Al Stewart (another five at least)
24 Carrots
Modern Times
Past, Present and Future
The Year of the Cat
Time Passages
Having said that, for me, four would be too many albums from the vast majority of artists (and that would include Elvis and the Stones).
Teenage Fanclub
They're all essential for me, but if I must...
Grand Prix
Man Made
Songs From Northern Britain
Howdy
Bandwagonesque
Its just getting ridiculous
Its gotten rather silly, one mans classic is obviously another mans rubbish. However, in the spirit of the thing,
here's
Beggars Banquet
Let it Bleed
Sticky Fingers
Exile on Main St
Then pick one from - Aftermath, Between the Buttons and Some Girls
At the risk of being labelled a heretic, the only essential Beatles albums are Rubber Soul & Revolver, Sgt.Pepper is marginal at best, and, horribly dated.
and
and A Hard Day's Night. I think that's pretty essential too.
And another thing
Where's the Dylan post? Minimum of ten essential albums, surely? Do I really have to list them all?
Freewheelin'
Another Side of..
Highway 61
Bringing it all back home
Blonde on blonde
Blood on the tracks
Desire
Oh Mercy
Time out of mind
Love & Theft
If feeling charitable,add, John Wesley Harding, Planet waves and Modern Times.
Dylan's covered further up the post
oh, and you forgot The Basement Tapes
Basement Tapes
could'nt decide whether this is a compilation or not, it was never intended as an album per se. Still, you're absolutely right, it is a classic.
What about......
I think it looks a lot like the answer to the question is yes, if you really like them! Nothing like stating the obvious but anyway heres a few more for the list.
The Boss - I estimate 6 are essential - let the games begin
XTC - at least 5 probably 6 excluding fossil fuel which is one of the top 3 singles collections of all time (in our house and in our hearts)
Elvis Costello - dont let the more esoteric later work lead you to forget the majesty of the first 3 or 4 and one or two of the others - i can get to 7, the last of which is All this useless beauty.
Half man half bisuit - arguably all essential but certainly more than 4
Oh yes, and Prince but not for a while!
Now how about is there any artist who has only made albums that are essential (excluding any posthumous plundering of demos or recordings of them in a school play or a school debating competition?)
Only essential albums. The award goes to ....
... Nick Drake. And maybe, though at some distance behind, Gram Parsons. I'd be interested to hear more names. Some might say Joy Division, but I find Closer ponderous, pompous and puerile, despite the aura conferred on it by Ian Curtis's suicide.
Fila Brazilia
Old Codes New Chaos
Maim That Tune
Power Clown
Luck Be a Weirdo Tonight
A Touch of Cloth
Brazilification
The last one is a remix album but I think it's great.
Mr Jones' Foursome
I agree with whoever said we should restrict it to the Top Four - it's much more fun having to pare them back. And as a Bowie contrarian, how about:
The Man Who Sold The World
Hunky Dory
Station To Station
Heathen
?
Heathen
I thought I was alone on Heathen. Change The Man Who Sold The World for Low and we have a date.
Nope...
...I'd have Heathen as well, plus Scary Monsters, Low and Man Who Sold the World
(and Lodger, and Aladdin Sane, and Station to Station, and Heroes and...)
The Dame is hard to get down to four
Lodger is also a bit lost today. I would, at least almost, have that in my top four. Scary Monsters sounds overproduced to me, although Ashes To Ashes is fabulous.
Ziggy Stardust
Station To Station
Low
Heathen
And I exclude Alladin Sane, no matter how much I like it, on the basis that it is very much in the same vein as Ziggy.
bowie
How about:
low
aladdin sane
space oddity
diamond dogs
Yes!
I see a great many posts headed as above, but nobody has yet been brave enough to say..
1 - The Yes Album
2 - Fragile
3 - Close To The Edge
4 - Tales From Topographic Oceans
5 - Relayer
6 - Going For The One.
(Puts on tin hat and retires to a safe distance!)
You're not....
far enough back....
Keep retreating.......
BOOM!!!!!!!!
Yes and no...
The Yes Album - definitely
Fragile - wavering
Close To The Edge - definitely
Tales From Topographic Oceans - NO! The sound of a band disappearing up its collective rectum.
Relayer - nope
Going For The One - yes
wyatting
Robert Wyatt..... all of em especially for the pub juke box. But really his 4 eps set is ace
The answer
I think we're reached the point where the answer to the original question is `Yes.'
That point is now
merely a dot on the horizon.....
I think it's now about trying to reduce a musicians output to four essential albums - which, with hindsight, is a better idea for a post.
(Sobbing silently whilst giving myself a chinese burn...)
Bob Marley
Burnin', Catch A Fire, Rastaman Vibration, Natty Dread, Exodus, Kaya and Survival - all essential from the Rankin' Dread
What about Peej?
Four essentials from Ms Harvey:
Dry
Rid of Me
To Bring You My Love
Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!
OK, complete turnaround in style and all that, but you have to include white Chalk. It makes the others seem like the outpourings of yer average semi-depressed peninsular dwelling female....
I'll allow you White Chalk -
I'll allow you White Chalk - which other of hers will you jettison? I'd like to keep all five BTW.
Dry.
Too, um, wet. (Not as in Fotherington-Thomas wet.)
Pssh!
I've made more than 4 must have albums. That's right. Me.
Step 1.
Download album from internet.
Step 2.
Insert disc into your computer and burn.
Step 3.
Make yourself some nice artwork
Easy!
Otherwise gotta go with the giants, The Beatles and Bowie no probs.
Lloyd Cole
Forgive me but have to do it!!
Rattlesnakes
Mainstream
Lloyd Cole
Don't Get Weird on Me Babe
A fair shout, but
I would beg to differ, slightly:
Rattlesnakes
Easy Pieces
Love Story
Antidepressant
and if you have a chance to slip The Negatives in there, too, then so much the better.
Super Furry Animals + Misc
I didn't agree with the first suggestion above for SFA's essential 4 so here goes. It's a tough choice. Gruff Rhys will one day be recognised for the genius he is:
- Fuzzy Logic
- Guerrilla
- Radiator
- Rings Around the World
and my essential Costello's would be:
- Blood & Chocolate
- King of America
- Trust
- Armed Forces
Imperial Bedrooms seems to appear on most 'best of' lists but I just don't see / hear it. I thought the recent 'The Delivery Man' was a cracker too.
Beatles essentials say a lot about someone. I'd go for:
- White album
- Revolver
- Magical Mystery Tour (!)
- Rubber Soul
yep, no Sgt Pepper. Revolutionary but not in their best 4 IMHO. Why Magical Mystery Tour? Easy: I Am the Walrus, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, Fool on the Hill. Nuff said.
Did anybody do this without grabbing their iPod to double-check?!
More Elvis opinion
I think Imperial Bedroom is at times a little over produced but it's my favourite selection of Elvis songs.
It's interesting that you should refer to The Delivery Man as recent, I guess in terms of his career it is but I've enjoyed his more recent albums more. I think Momofuku is his best work of the decade.
Won't argue
cause you've put Revolver in there. That'll do me. Amazing work!
Echo and the bunnymen
A fairly easy one this
Crocodiles
Heaven Up Here
Porcupine
Ocean Rain
David Bowie
Hunky Dory
Ziggy Stardust
Aladdin Sane
Diamond Dogs
Nice to see Trust get a mention
I always forget that one, history seeming to have delegated it to an also ran, but with perhaps my favourite EC track on it, "Watch your step", it is a cracker. And he is beginning to control his torrent of verbiage in the lyrics. Which is good.
I've waited a long time...
The beret-wearing bearded one whose intellectual friends get to call him RT... Richard Thompson!
Henry The Human Fly - massively underrated
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight - a classic, full stop
Pour Down Like Silver - spiritual and beguiling
Shoot Out The Lights - an incredible last hurrah for R<
Daring Adventures - shocking cover disguises myriad of delights within
Rumour And Sigh - his best solo record to date
I could have named a couple more, but I'm trying to be disciplined!
Two for the metal fans
Metallica
Ride the Lightning
Master of Puppets
Justice for all
Black Album
Garage Incorporated
(plus possibly S&M too, hearing the classics done classically!)
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Paranoid
Vol 4
Sabotage
Masters of Reality
Agree with the Zeppelin listings too and good to see NIN getting a mention as well.
One more for the metal fans
Don´t forget Iron Maiden:
The Number Of The Beast
Piece Of Mind
Live After Death
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Dance Of Death
A Matter Of Life And Death
And I would go for Death Magnetic instead of ...And Justice For All for Metallica.
yes yes yes
you're missing Kill em All and Death Magnetic arent you?
Not too sure about Death
Not too sure about Death Magnetic, but that's more to the quality of production than anything else. Kill em all though I was mentally debating as a possible, but is it a must own because of the music or because it's Metallica's first album.
Good point
I wouldn´t consider Kill `Em All a must. Some classic songs (Horsemen, Seek, Motorbreath, Whiplash) for sure. But not a must.
Also agree on the production on Death Magnetic, but if we are to discuss the production, would ANY Metallica album really make the test? They just don´t sound fat enough. There tend to be a lack of body (these are all technical terms, yes?). The problem is that 80´s production in LA were awful in general, not just Metallica. In the 90´s when they picked up the slack production wise, the songs were, well... So this really is a problem. I wouldn´t mind Master Of Puppets (my favourite) with the sonic timbre of Load, though. And maybe som drum-lessons for Lars (I´m from Sweden, not Denmark).
The same goes for my Maiden favourite Seventh Son.
Why can´t every heavy metal album sound like Zeppelins early efforts?
Now I have to go make sure I´m given the right amount fish sticks.
eels
Beautiful Freak
Electro-Shock Blues
Daisies Of The Galaxy
Blinking Lights & Other Revelations
All essential, if you ask me.
I'd second the Talk Talk shout above, but just can't get into Laughing Stock. I mean, I know I should, as I adore Spirit Of Eden...
If we kept it to 4...
If we kept it to 4, I would probably swap Beautiful Freak for Souljacker at a pinch, but they're all worth having. I'm still working my way through their Useless Trinkets collection.
Costello Twitter
Delivery Man is rightfully described as recent being his last but one studio album.
I am really surprised that North is not put up there with his best - if you listen to the arrangements they are at times achingly beautiful and his words are rationed but telling.
Uncle Warren
As it would appear that no-one's suggested any Warren Zevon albums, I'd like to raise my head above the parapet with a list including a Christgau-defying two live albums:
Excitable Boy
Stand In The Fire
Mr Bad Example
Learning To Flinch
(and The Wind is up there, too.)
Go on then...
zevon
Seem to be catching up with this about 4 months late!
4 Zevons:
Warren Zevon
Sentimental Hygiene
Mutineer
Life'll Kill Ya
Fantastic!
Its about time
I'd take Flinch over Fire, and add the Wind instead, giving the 4. Thanks, FMY.
have the go-betweens had a shout yet??
before hollywood
liberty belle and the black diamond express
16 lovers lane
oceans apart
Crowded House
Crowded House
Temple of Low Men
Woodface
Together Alone
First four albums - back of the net
The Beach Boys
Today!
Pet Sounds
Sunflower
Love You
And maybe one of the 576 489 available Best Of-compilations.
Perfect pop
If I were to chose a Beach Boys compilation, it wouldn't be a best of, it would be Endless Summer but then I wouldn't include Pet Sounds in my list - I would include Love You because it includes my favourite Beach Boys song "Ding Dang" it's nearly the perfect pop song even though it's two minutes short.
Ah ba ba
But isn´t Endless Summer a best of? There are some not hits on there, but still. I would count that as a best of, and a good one at that.
Dennis Wilson´s Pacific Ocean Blue and Brian´s SMiLE would definitely be in orbit as well.
All Summer Long Today Pet
All Summer Long
Today
Pet Sounds
Sunflower
Surf's Up
Holland
Love You
now you're talking
537 posts and still no mention of
Scott
Scott2
Scott3
Scott4
(to which you could add or substitute "Till The Band Comes In")
and might I also suggest The Divine Comedy:
Liberation
Promenade
Casanova
Absent Friends
Divine Comedy availability
I've had a really hard time getting (as in buying from a shop, not understanding) anything by the Divine Comedy from before Regeneration.
scott
Climate of Hunter is brilliant too and
Tilt, though heavy going, is extraordinary.
The Drift
I'd take "The Drift" over "Climate" or "Tilt" personally, though it does define the term "heavy-going".
Matt
try amazon, loads of stuff available there, much of it less than a couple of quid
Early Divine Comedy
All the albums on setanta (i.e. everything pre-Regeneration) have been deleted as Neil Hannon now owns the rights himself and has been poised to reissue them on his own label - however he hasn't done so as yet.
You can buy them as downloads direct from the Divine Comedy website. Anything you see advertised on amazon etc is likely to be second hand (nothing wrong with that in itself, just so you are aware)
Christy Moore
Smoke and Strong Whiskey
This Is The Day
King Puck
Live at the Point 2006
Actually, I'd go for four live albums as he is - I think - better live.
you should have some of the older stuff
Like Iron behind the Velvet or The Time Has Come
and also from the high point of his career
Ordinary Man
and Unfinished Revolution
If we're allowing groups plus their members solo albums
Then I'd add:
Love and Money -
Strange Kind of Love
Dogs In The Traffic
James Grant -
My Thrawn Glory
Strange Flowers
(although a convincing case could be made for all of Mr Grant's solo records)
Eerr...
Don't disagree, but is Strange Flowers available yet?
strange flowers
It's not officially released until next month but can be ordered now direct from the label (www.verticalrecords.co.uk). Another advantage of ordering direct is that James will sign it if you ask. It is a superb album and I cannot recommend it too highly; it's barely been out of the CD player since it arrived last week.
Can`t believe its taken so long
for this post to mention The Blue Nile:
A Walk Across The Rooftops
Hats
Peace At Last
High
Yes I know they have only issued 4 albums.
Or New Order
Power, Corruption & Lies
Low Life
Brotherhood
Technique
Or U2
Boy
War
The Unforgettable Fire
The Joshua Tree
I`ll stop now.
Not one of you
has mentioned Pixies. SHAME on you.
Come On Pilgrim
Surfer Rosa
Doolittle
Bossanova
Trompe Le Monde
5 in a row, essential, essential, essential, essential and essential.
have to disagree with the choice of manics albums
lifeblood
everything must go
this is my truth tell me yours
the holy bible
not necessarily in that order, generation terrorists is ace but just to long to make the cut
Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate
Various Positions
I'm Your Man
and give it up for the Moz:
Viva Hate
Your Arsenal
Vauxhall & I
You Are the Quarry
ELO, Billy Joel,Prefab Sprout and Wilco
ELO
Eldorado
Face The Music
A New World Record
Out Of The Blue
Billy Joel
Turnstiles
The Stranger
52nd Street
Glass Houses
Prefab Sprout
Swoon
Steve McQueen
From Langley Park To Memphis
Jordan The Comeback
Wilco
Being There
Summerteeth
A Ghost Is Born
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
ABBA
Arrival
The Album
Voulez Vous
The Visitors
Smiths & Radiohead
All 4 cds by The Smiths are great and agree re Radiohead but from a personal point of view can I cheat and have Mick Jones with:
Thc Clash
London Calling
This Is Big Audio Dynamite
Megatop Phoenix
I know its 2 bands but Mick now in his 3rd good band with Carbon/silicon and not many musicians can say that and fed up that Strummer seems to be the hero when I reckon Mick was the true talent