The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support Forumsperfect albums -- every song is awesome
mrs. unblock was watching some peter gabriel show and she declared that "so" was that rare album where every single track was a great song.
there are so many albums that are awesome, even legendary, but have a track or two that you're perfectly fine just skipping.
a great example is "synchronicity" by the police. amazing album. but "mother" is, uh, ok, we really didn't need that track on this album. i admit that i kinda like the off-kilter 7/4 beat, but it doesn't make up for the screaming....
so what albums really make the cut -- every track is great. listening to the entire album, you wouldn't dream of skipping over any track?
and **no "greatest hits" albums**, that defeats the whole point.
my short list:
abbey road - the beatles
sgt. peppers - the beatles
the wall - pink floyd (there are songs here i wouldn't play on their own, but listening to the whole album, i wouldn't dream of skipping)
love over gold - dire straits (gotta give 'em credit. spend over a year in a studio perfecting 5 tracks and, yeah, you end up with 5 great tracks)
surely there are others, care to add to the list?
Lochloosa
(16,308 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)i want to like his music, but i just don't. can't get past his voice.
same goes for bob dylan.
on the other hand, i love bruce springsteen and elvis costello, and many people can't stand their voices....
Lochloosa
(16,308 posts)Trying to listen to him was not worth the effort.
unblock
(53,912 posts)always really liked petty. for some reason it never hit me until i saw them together just how influenced by dylan tom petty was.
of course i'm sure petty played it up a bit in that show because they were touring together, but really, tom petty adopted a lot of bob dylan's singing style, though with a much better voice.
msongs
(69,451 posts)pressbox69
(2,252 posts)between seeing Bob Dylan or Neil Young at Madison Square Garden in 1978. Went with Dylan and he was great but I still wonder if I should have seen Young instead. If I did see Young I'd probably still be wondering about the Dylan concert. Love Springsteen's second album but my favorite album is a tie between Layla and Costello's first album.
unblock
(53,912 posts)Haven't really been able to get into much of what he's done after that point, though I still admire his incredible talent and ability to write, play, and sing in so many different genres.
But most of albums up to that point, I could listen to all day. Blood and chocolate is my current obsession, but his first album, sure, or this year's model.
pressbox69
(2,252 posts)My Aim Is True caught my eye. Thought it was a comedy album with a puck rock version of Buddy Holly, holding his guitar like it was a machine gun. "Elvis Is King" written in tiny letters. The opening of the first song blew me away, "Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired
And you can have anyone that you have ever desired
All you gotta tell me now is why, why, why, why?"
SCantiGOP
(14,107 posts)I'm a child of the 60s, and I wore out two vinyl records and a tape before getting it on CD.
spooky3
(35,601 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)but you're right. every track is a cool song.
spooky3
(35,601 posts)Foolacious
(505 posts)Lochloosa
(16,308 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)love their politics, barely ever heard their music.
Lochloosa
(16,308 posts)BlueTsunami2018
(3,786 posts)AC/DC - Back in Black
Motörhead - Orgasmatron
Led Zeppelin - pick one
Janes Addiction - Nothings Shocking
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Guns and Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Lochloosa
(16,308 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)although i do like a few ac/dc songs and yeah, led zep is amazing.
BlueTsunami2018
(3,786 posts)Those would be my first suggestions.
unblock
(53,912 posts)by "acquiring" i don't mean purchasing, i mean listening and learning and accepting into your mental repertoire.
i found most "punk" rock to be jarring at first and i really couldn't stand it when it first came out. then i listened to it a few years later and wondered what had previously bothered me about it. some of it is just getting used to the general features and conventions of the style. you hear it enough from other songs, and it becomes more familiar and pleasing.
i often go back to the artists who inspired other artists i like, or listen to the original version of a cover song.
of course, that's one of the reasons i keep going back to the beatles....
BlueTsunami2018
(3,786 posts)I often go back to the Beatles myself. They have a magic about them that is singular.
calguy
(5,692 posts)Came out around 1970 or so. The most perfect album I ever had. They put out a second album a couple years after but didn't live up to the first and the band disappeared after that.
2naSalit
(90,893 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 23, 2020, 09:35 PM - Edit history (2)
I liked the first album. I saw Peter Rowan and Richard Greene at a night club in Massachusetts between those two albums and they were funny and really good.
calguy
(5,692 posts)It came out when I was in the Army and we actually wore the record out. I had to buy another copy after the first one became unplayable. The second album, Marblehead Messenger was just ok, nothing great.
poli-junkie
(1,094 posts)consider_this
(2,717 posts)Sedona
(3,801 posts)ZZenith
(4,282 posts)Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens.
Jeff Buckleys Grace doesnt have any clunkers.
Jellyfish - either album they made.
Beck Sea Change.
More recently I would say Sufjan Stevens made a perfect record with Carrie and Lowell.
unblock
(53,912 posts)spooky3
(35,601 posts)One of the Queen albums might qualify too.
Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John comes close but may not quite meet Unblocks high bar.
ZZenith
(4,282 posts)Hard to write 10 or so good songs in one whack. Even harder to write 10 songs and then record them all properly.
50 Shades Of Blue
(10,660 posts)Younger Than Yesterday - the Byrds
Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina and Left Banke Too - the Left Banke
Catch the Wind and Fairy Tale - Donovan
yonder
(9,898 posts)Walk Away Renee (the song) is one of those that I can never get tired of listening to - 50+ years later.
spooky3
(35,601 posts)Bad song: shes leaving home, so that critic would probably put the White Album and all their others that you didnt name on that list.
unblock
(53,912 posts)but i didn't want this to turn into just a "beatles are awesome" thread, although of course they are.
that said, "she's leaving home" isn't even close to their worst song, in fact, i quite like it.
check out "you know my name (look up the number)" or "wild honey pie" if you want a bad beatles song....
spooky3
(35,601 posts)ZZenith
(4,282 posts)calguy
(5,692 posts)Was also a classic album that's hard to beat.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,329 posts)add Hissing if Summer Lawns, Hejira, and Blue to Joni's perfection
Pat Metheny Group white cover album
ZZenith
(4,282 posts)calguy
(5,692 posts)pressbox69
(2,252 posts)blm
(113,741 posts)Tikki
(14,704 posts)Tikki
Doc_Technical
(3,576 posts)I always enjoy someone who goes outside the box
and somewhat creates their own genre.
I liked it.
OilemFirchen
(7,146 posts)Exile on Main Street
Leonard Cohen live in anywhere
Hole's Celebrity Skin
mountain grammy
(27,015 posts)blm
(113,741 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)i checked out the track listing, and "computer blue" is the only song i don't think i've ever heard. i'll have to check it out.
but with that possible exception, i certainly agree on every other track. awesome.
blm
(113,741 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)i like all the songs i recognize. but i always found elton john to be really hit or miss for me. some really great songs but others, not so much. for me, anyway. but i'll check it out. mrs. unblock would definitely agree with you.
blue neen
(12,395 posts)...and that is a double album! Incredible.
Clash City Rocker
(3,492 posts)It has a sort of Devo feel to it. The beauty of Prince was his musical diversity.
unblock
(53,912 posts)i especially admire artists who are good at composition. not just songwriting, but putting the whole thing together.
he was an amazing guitarist, but he didn't write songs that just enabled him to show off his shredding. his solos and everything else he did served a musical purpose and fit into the song in a meaningful way. he really understood music, not just singing or guitar playing.
blm
(113,741 posts)hurl
(966 posts)That's MY go-to Pink Floyd
sop
(11,078 posts)Clash City Rocker
(3,492 posts)blm
(113,741 posts)sfstaxprep
(9,999 posts)Can't believe nobody has said it yet. Groundbreaking Album.
unblock
(53,912 posts)personally i miiiight be tempted to skip over 10th avenue freezeout, but i know plenty of other people love that song, and it's certainly not a bad song, just not a great song. but as i have that album and have never actually skipped over that song, i'll agree. certainly every other track is amazing.
i just imagine back in the day some people probably bought the album thinking let's hear some other stuff that the guy who did the "born to run" single did, then they get an album with thunder road and jungleland too, it must have blown them away if they had never heard those songs before.
Foolacious
(505 posts)"10th Avenue Freezeout" is in my top 3 of Springsteen songs. TEHO
unblock
(53,912 posts)but i really don't think it's all that. still, it's a hell of a great album if that's the worst song on it!
sfstaxprep
(9,999 posts)bif
(23,581 posts)Glorfindel
(9,874 posts)The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed
The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request
Judy Collins - Wildflowers
TuxedoKat
(3,821 posts)or Their Waiting for Columbus Album (all the same songs and more but live).
Coventina
(27,636 posts)REM: Life's Rich Pageant
U2: The Joshua Tree
Pixies: Doolittle
Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual
Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy
Echo & the Bunnymen: Ocean Rain
The Smiths: The Queen is Dead
Depeche Mode: Music for the Masses
Need I say more?
Skittles
(157,038 posts)yes INDEED
SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)Glorfindel
(9,874 posts)Thanks for reminding me!
SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)redwitch
(15,037 posts)King Crimson.
SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)2naSalit
(90,893 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)Still Crazy After All These Years
Graceland
There Goes Rhymin Simon
SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)SharonClark
(10,194 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,643 posts)also several others already named
Stuart G
(38,726 posts)Ahpook
(2,762 posts)Being a guitar player, it is extremely hard to look over Van Halen 1. The band may be not to a taste you prefer, but Eddie blew my fucking mind when I first heard him play.
There are others, of course, but hearing Eddie Van Halen play was incredible
I suppose that is my judge in this discussion
highplainsdem
(51,462 posts)highplainsdem
(51,462 posts)Wounded Bear
(60,060 posts)MissMillie
(38,851 posts)...Justin Hayward & John Lodge "Blue Jays"
JustGene
(421 posts)"Clapton is God"
lastlib
(24,396 posts)Last edited Fri Jul 24, 2020, 12:55 PM - Edit history (1)
Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (of course!)
Eagles, Desperado (not a bad song on it)
Rush, Hemispheres (one of my go-to stress relievers)
Kraftwerk, Autobahn!
Moody Blues, On the Threshold of a Dream (and every other Moody's album!!)
malthaussen
(17,528 posts)I also think just about every Beatles album qualifies, but then I'm a fan.
-- Mal
unblock
(53,912 posts)And I'm a huge Beatles fan as well. That said, I'm fine never hearing "Anna" or "You know my name (look up the number)" ever again....
Ohiya
(2,368 posts)unblock
(53,912 posts)malthaussen
(17,528 posts)... it was a freebie sent to the members of the Beatles fan club, so it was mostly just the boys mucking about. That said, I like it myself.
"Anna" is a bit tedious, I agree.
-- Mal
Laffy Kat
(16,488 posts)Doc_Technical
(3,576 posts)Disraeli Gears- Cream
The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get- Joe Walsh
Ohiya
(2,368 posts)NightWatcher
(39,353 posts)And that's not right.
LNM
(1,111 posts)BluesRunTheGame
(1,758 posts)Mad_Dem_X
(9,721 posts)FakeNoose
(34,774 posts)So many great suggestions here!
So many albums I need to look up on Spotify.
Thanks guys
jmowreader
(51,149 posts)Given that, the two albums I dont skip over tracks when I listen to them are Frank Zappas Joes Garage and Iron Maidens Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.