Share Your Top Ten Favorite Albums (and why)
Jan 19, 2019 4:42:23 GMT -5
iancockburn and jk like this
Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 4:42:23 GMT -5
This was another big PSF thread I really liked, but unfortunately didn't survive the purge.
So here's mine to start things off.
0. SMiLE
Kind of cheating, but this deserves an honorary spot. I can't put it on the official list because it's not a completed album (and I despise the tracklist of both official releases). But it's my favorite collection of music, and if I could put any of the fanmixes which follow any kind of 2 suite structure, this would be number one. It's the only album I've loved enough to have written a book's worth of forum posts and essays about. And if it weren't for this, I never would have discovered literally every single other album on this entire list. Yeah.
1. The United States of America
I've listened to hundreds of albums from this era/movement, and yet USA remains the most inventive by far. I'd go so far as to call it the 2001 of rock albums in that it breaks all the rules and yet somehow works regardless. There's no guitarist, replacing traditional rock arrangements with electric violins, ring modulators and oscillators. As a result, it has a unique sound all its own, almost like it came from the far future or another planet. And my favorite aspect of its production is lead singer Dorothy Moskowitz, who's able to tap into this perfect midpoint of scary and commanding yet serene and sensual at the same time. She sounds vaguely like a man in falsetto, and somehow that androgynous quality makes her voice very endearing to me, as if it could be anyone singing and experiencing these revelations about our society.
The album's self-sampling in the final track feel like the end of an acid trip, where your mind is blown and you're left to reflect upon all the revelations you came to in the preceding 12 hours (or in this case, 30 odd minutes.) It remains the best finale I've ever heard for an LP--even better than Surf's Up would have been on SMiLE, or A Day in the Life is made out to be for Sgt Pepper.
Plenty of counterculture records criticized government--it was almost like an initiation. But I've never seen another album go so far as to mourn a socialist revolutionary (Che Guevara), talk about BDSM sexual affairs, discrete homosexual encounters, strip clubs and censorship. Whether you sympathize with socialism, partake in kinky sex or none of the above, surely we can all appreciate the balls it takes to make a statement like that back then--even now this would be controversial.
Yet, it's important to note that the whole album isn't political or critiquing the rest of society either. There's "Cloud Song" which is one of the most soothing tracks from any band. There's "The Garden of Earthly Delights" which strikes me as a twisted counterpoint to the whimsical psychedelic dreamscape song you see a lot of in this era (think Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Land of Diana.) And "Coming Down" which is a straightforward ode to the psychedelics themselves.
My favorite track is the opener, "The American Metaphysical Circus" which is perhaps the greatest tour de force in all of psychedelic rock. In terms of subject matter it reels you in thinking it's going to be like "Mr Kite" as in a trippy circus scene--at least that's what the opening sampled bits of old music make me imagine. But then that's thrown to the curb and the rest of the song examines Late Capitalism and its deleterious effect on society. As the track goes on, lead singer Dorothy Moskowitz' voice becomes increasingly "digitized" as if to emphasize the lack of natural human instinct, emotions, freedom or purpose in a world where everything is owned, commoditized and proprietary. It's as though the world we live in, where multi-national corporations own and control everything, is even more insane that a trippy circus if you stop and really think about it. It is perhaps the single most thought-provoking song I've ever heard.
For a few years in college, it was my holy grail when shopping for vinyls until I finally got two copies--one for play and one to frame. In the bonus tracks on the Sundazed rerelease, you see some of the songs they were working on after the album came out. These tend to be softer, folk rock, almost Bob Dylan esque. I would have loved to have heard a whole album in this new aesthetic, and the fact they were on that track shows the USA wasn't just a one-hit wonder. If they had gone on, they could have done more interesting things.
2. We're Only in it For the Money
This album is, at times, like schizophrenia set to music (I hope that comment's not in bad taste.) It's just nuts the way it bounces between so many different styles, contradictory criticisms of hippies and squares, talking tracks and wild experiments such as "Hot Poop" (by the way, what a title!). This album is equal parts hilarious, juvenile, astute and profound. It goes into police brutality, alienation between aloof parents and their sensitive kids, the hypocrisy of hippie bands accepting all this money for their music, and women's issues yet it does so in a way that's not too in your face. The reason is because of the balanced position of Zappa and the humor.
With those humorous talking tracks, this record inspired me to see SMiLE in a new light. I had already assumed at least some of those comedy skits were meant for the album by virtue of the fact they were recorded at all, humor was a huge part of the project and Vosse implies they were all part of the same overall idea. Yet, I was skeptical this was actually a feasible idea, that it would never sound good to mix spoken word comedy bits and beautiful music. This record showed me how it was done, and was a huge inspiration to my last three fanmixes. So, it will always have a special place in my heart for that reason.
Also, while it was done for laughs to mock the hippies, I nevertheless give Zappa and the Mothers a lot of props for wearing those dresses on the gatefold/original cover. Even if it was done in a satirical context, that still took a lot of guts back then and I always thought the guy on the far right looked damn fine in one too
3. Forever Changes
This and the previous 3 entries on my list are what I playfully consider "The Four Gospels of the Psychedelic Movement." Maybe that's a bit pretentious, but these are the four albums which go the furthest in terms of thoughtful social critique, attempts to innovate what pop music could do, and spur the people on to reform the way humanity behaves.
I'm a bit shocked by how little respect this album gets here and back on PSF. I think it has the beautiful Wrecking Crew instrumentation of Pet Sounds but with somewhat more philosophical lyrics. It's not as oblique and non-literal as those on SMiLE, it's honest, direct and vulnerable. Arthur Lee thought these would be his last words on Earth, so he let it all out. As a result of all this, I think FC might just be the most timeless album of all time--certainly a contender for that title if nothing else.
My favorite track is The Red Telephone.
4. Pet Sounds
I mean, if you're on this forum you know how good this is, why it's good, so there's no need to restate the obvious. I especially love the framing device between the opener and closer of falling out of love with someone. It's a common thing most of us experience in adolescence, thinking you're gonna marry your first love and then in just a few years you've changed so much that the person you thought you knew is gone. It's the best bookending of an album I know of; I've yet to hear another with such a simple yet meaningful relationship between its first and last track.
5. Dots and Loops
This one sticks out like a sore thumb on a list of late 60s-early 70s psych/prog rock. I love it though because it's the most chill, calming pop album I've heard. I can listen to it when I'm happy and I'll remain upbeat. I can listen to it when I'm sad or angry and it will help me relax. I can blare it on my stereo and rock out to it. I can listen thru my headphones while running errands around the city and be at peace. It's in many ways the perfect album, or at least perfect for any occasion. As much as I love rock music, sometimes it's just too loud, too busy, too overwhelming for me when I'm multitasking or not having a good day. On PSF, I compared my other top 10 albums to fancy steak dinners with hefty side orders and fine wine--it's fantastic but sometimes too rich. Meanwhile D&L is like the delicious chocolate milkshake that I could spring for anytime I need a pick me up.
6. In the Court of the Crimson King
The bridge between psychedelic rock and progressive rock, which are my two favorite genres of music. It's also the best prog rock album I've ever heard. The improv and solos are masterful, and I love the balance between hardcore rockers and tranquil songs. If "The American Metaphysical Circus" is psych rock's greatest tour de force, I'd offer up "21 Centruy Schizoid Man" as the equivalent for progressive rock. The fact that the same band, on the same album, could then evoke the beautiful imagery of "Moonchild" astounds me. And yet, there's a binding theme between the two however subtle. The opening track is about how our modern lifestyles drive us crazy, while Moonchild is the counterpoint, a young woman at one with nature, exploring the world around her in peace at night with none of the noise or crowds.
7. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
This is the quintessential psychedelic album, and I've heard more than enough to make that assertion. I say that not just for the quality, but the variety. No other single album so thoroughly encapsulates everything the genre was about--the freeform freakout jam sessions, the whimsical dreamscapes, the reinterpreted children's stories, eastern mysticism and making the mundane fascinating. It takes you from the far reaches of outer space to a Tolkien-esque gnome frolicking in the flowers without skipping a beat. This one has it all, as well as the most quirky endearing romantic courtship of all time. The production is like the perfect blend between that SMiLE/Pet Sounds aesthetic with the classic instrumentation and that out of this world quality of the USA.
It's a beautiful peak into the madcap worldview of Syd Barrett, who's tied with Brian Wilson as my all-time fave artist. Both men sadly became acid casualties, but when they were on the top of their game there was no one better. With Syd though, there's a certain appeal there--I read two biographies about him (A Very Irregular Head and Crazy Diamond) and the impression I got from each was that before his breakdown he was creative, confident, personable and romantic. The man portrayed in those books was a larger than life figure, and more than any other musician, old-Syd is the one I most wanted to spend the day with. Even after his breakdown, there were certain anecdotes in the books which made me tear up. As an example, apparently some neighborhood kids came up to him once when he was gardening in order to settle a dispute about their imaginary friends, and Syd patiently explained that anything was possible in your imagination. In another lifetime, Syd would have made a wonderful husband and father, and if he had not gone into music he would have made a fantastic painter by all accounts. Until I discovered George McGovern, Syd Barrett was my hero.
The only reason this isn't number 2 or 3 on my list is because the middle drags a bit. After a mesmerizing string of four tracks, Pow R Toc H is a noticeable decline in quality. It's not bad but I've always found it to be a weak spot. Then you get the noticeably out of place "Take Thy Stethoscope and Walk" which never should have been included on the album. It's an undeniably inferior song, the only one not written by Syd, with a completely different voice and attitude. If you subbed it out with "See Emily Play" as the Side 1 closer, the album would be just about perfect.
While not part of the album, the rest of the Barrett-era Pink Floyd tracks are excellent and don't get the respect they truly deserve in my opinion. Even the unreleased stuff like "Scream Thy Last Scream"/"Vegetable Man" as well as the B-sides like "Candy and a Currant Bun" and "Paintbox" as masterpieces in my book. I just love Syd-era Floyd.
8. Axis: Bold as Love
In my opinion, the most consistent album of the counterculture's most iconic artist. The whole album just has a fantastic momentum from beginning to end, with no sour note in sight. I'm afraid I don't have much else to say about it. It's just a tight, well-written and well-performed album by the greatest guitar player of all time. My favorite track has always been "Got Me Floatin'"
9. Just a Poke
This was either the first or one of the first totally unknown albums I took a blind chance on after YouTube recommended it to me. (For reference's sake, the other two were Gandalf and Cottonwoodhill. Even the USA I checked out because it topped some list online of "best psychedelic albums.") All three were great, and kicked off my three-year "project" of listening to every single new album YouTube recommended to me until there was nothing left. Besides this personal anecdote though, I don't have a whole lot to say about this one either. It's just flawless progressive rock, where each side of vinyl represents an unbroken jam session. Unfortunately, while Sweet Smoke made a few more albums, none were nearly as good.
10. Rubber Soul
Yet again, not a whole lot to say here. It's the Beatles most consistent and cohesive album. Every track is fantastic, and they all sound as though they belong together. It's very probably the first true album, in the sense of a unified and purposeful collection of songs as opposed to a vehicle for the singles padded out by outtakes and filler. On a personal note, this is also one of the first three albums I ever bought along with Pet Sounds and MJ's Off the Wall.
Honorable Mentions: Freak Out!, The Doors, Dark Side of the Moon, Surrealistic Pillow, Cheap Thrills, Cottonwoodhill, Love You, The Smoke, Nosferatu and Genesis by Wendy and Bonnie.
So here's mine to start things off.
0. SMiLE
Kind of cheating, but this deserves an honorary spot. I can't put it on the official list because it's not a completed album (and I despise the tracklist of both official releases). But it's my favorite collection of music, and if I could put any of the fanmixes which follow any kind of 2 suite structure, this would be number one. It's the only album I've loved enough to have written a book's worth of forum posts and essays about. And if it weren't for this, I never would have discovered literally every single other album on this entire list. Yeah.
1. The United States of America
I've listened to hundreds of albums from this era/movement, and yet USA remains the most inventive by far. I'd go so far as to call it the 2001 of rock albums in that it breaks all the rules and yet somehow works regardless. There's no guitarist, replacing traditional rock arrangements with electric violins, ring modulators and oscillators. As a result, it has a unique sound all its own, almost like it came from the far future or another planet. And my favorite aspect of its production is lead singer Dorothy Moskowitz, who's able to tap into this perfect midpoint of scary and commanding yet serene and sensual at the same time. She sounds vaguely like a man in falsetto, and somehow that androgynous quality makes her voice very endearing to me, as if it could be anyone singing and experiencing these revelations about our society.
The album's self-sampling in the final track feel like the end of an acid trip, where your mind is blown and you're left to reflect upon all the revelations you came to in the preceding 12 hours (or in this case, 30 odd minutes.) It remains the best finale I've ever heard for an LP--even better than Surf's Up would have been on SMiLE, or A Day in the Life is made out to be for Sgt Pepper.
Plenty of counterculture records criticized government--it was almost like an initiation. But I've never seen another album go so far as to mourn a socialist revolutionary (Che Guevara), talk about BDSM sexual affairs, discrete homosexual encounters, strip clubs and censorship. Whether you sympathize with socialism, partake in kinky sex or none of the above, surely we can all appreciate the balls it takes to make a statement like that back then--even now this would be controversial.
Yet, it's important to note that the whole album isn't political or critiquing the rest of society either. There's "Cloud Song" which is one of the most soothing tracks from any band. There's "The Garden of Earthly Delights" which strikes me as a twisted counterpoint to the whimsical psychedelic dreamscape song you see a lot of in this era (think Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Land of Diana.) And "Coming Down" which is a straightforward ode to the psychedelics themselves.
My favorite track is the opener, "The American Metaphysical Circus" which is perhaps the greatest tour de force in all of psychedelic rock. In terms of subject matter it reels you in thinking it's going to be like "Mr Kite" as in a trippy circus scene--at least that's what the opening sampled bits of old music make me imagine. But then that's thrown to the curb and the rest of the song examines Late Capitalism and its deleterious effect on society. As the track goes on, lead singer Dorothy Moskowitz' voice becomes increasingly "digitized" as if to emphasize the lack of natural human instinct, emotions, freedom or purpose in a world where everything is owned, commoditized and proprietary. It's as though the world we live in, where multi-national corporations own and control everything, is even more insane that a trippy circus if you stop and really think about it. It is perhaps the single most thought-provoking song I've ever heard.
For a few years in college, it was my holy grail when shopping for vinyls until I finally got two copies--one for play and one to frame. In the bonus tracks on the Sundazed rerelease, you see some of the songs they were working on after the album came out. These tend to be softer, folk rock, almost Bob Dylan esque. I would have loved to have heard a whole album in this new aesthetic, and the fact they were on that track shows the USA wasn't just a one-hit wonder. If they had gone on, they could have done more interesting things.
2. We're Only in it For the Money
This album is, at times, like schizophrenia set to music (I hope that comment's not in bad taste.) It's just nuts the way it bounces between so many different styles, contradictory criticisms of hippies and squares, talking tracks and wild experiments such as "Hot Poop" (by the way, what a title!). This album is equal parts hilarious, juvenile, astute and profound. It goes into police brutality, alienation between aloof parents and their sensitive kids, the hypocrisy of hippie bands accepting all this money for their music, and women's issues yet it does so in a way that's not too in your face. The reason is because of the balanced position of Zappa and the humor.
With those humorous talking tracks, this record inspired me to see SMiLE in a new light. I had already assumed at least some of those comedy skits were meant for the album by virtue of the fact they were recorded at all, humor was a huge part of the project and Vosse implies they were all part of the same overall idea. Yet, I was skeptical this was actually a feasible idea, that it would never sound good to mix spoken word comedy bits and beautiful music. This record showed me how it was done, and was a huge inspiration to my last three fanmixes. So, it will always have a special place in my heart for that reason.
Also, while it was done for laughs to mock the hippies, I nevertheless give Zappa and the Mothers a lot of props for wearing those dresses on the gatefold/original cover. Even if it was done in a satirical context, that still took a lot of guts back then and I always thought the guy on the far right looked damn fine in one too
3. Forever Changes
This and the previous 3 entries on my list are what I playfully consider "The Four Gospels of the Psychedelic Movement." Maybe that's a bit pretentious, but these are the four albums which go the furthest in terms of thoughtful social critique, attempts to innovate what pop music could do, and spur the people on to reform the way humanity behaves.
I'm a bit shocked by how little respect this album gets here and back on PSF. I think it has the beautiful Wrecking Crew instrumentation of Pet Sounds but with somewhat more philosophical lyrics. It's not as oblique and non-literal as those on SMiLE, it's honest, direct and vulnerable. Arthur Lee thought these would be his last words on Earth, so he let it all out. As a result of all this, I think FC might just be the most timeless album of all time--certainly a contender for that title if nothing else.
My favorite track is The Red Telephone.
4. Pet Sounds
I mean, if you're on this forum you know how good this is, why it's good, so there's no need to restate the obvious. I especially love the framing device between the opener and closer of falling out of love with someone. It's a common thing most of us experience in adolescence, thinking you're gonna marry your first love and then in just a few years you've changed so much that the person you thought you knew is gone. It's the best bookending of an album I know of; I've yet to hear another with such a simple yet meaningful relationship between its first and last track.
5. Dots and Loops
This one sticks out like a sore thumb on a list of late 60s-early 70s psych/prog rock. I love it though because it's the most chill, calming pop album I've heard. I can listen to it when I'm happy and I'll remain upbeat. I can listen to it when I'm sad or angry and it will help me relax. I can blare it on my stereo and rock out to it. I can listen thru my headphones while running errands around the city and be at peace. It's in many ways the perfect album, or at least perfect for any occasion. As much as I love rock music, sometimes it's just too loud, too busy, too overwhelming for me when I'm multitasking or not having a good day. On PSF, I compared my other top 10 albums to fancy steak dinners with hefty side orders and fine wine--it's fantastic but sometimes too rich. Meanwhile D&L is like the delicious chocolate milkshake that I could spring for anytime I need a pick me up.
6. In the Court of the Crimson King
The bridge between psychedelic rock and progressive rock, which are my two favorite genres of music. It's also the best prog rock album I've ever heard. The improv and solos are masterful, and I love the balance between hardcore rockers and tranquil songs. If "The American Metaphysical Circus" is psych rock's greatest tour de force, I'd offer up "21 Centruy Schizoid Man" as the equivalent for progressive rock. The fact that the same band, on the same album, could then evoke the beautiful imagery of "Moonchild" astounds me. And yet, there's a binding theme between the two however subtle. The opening track is about how our modern lifestyles drive us crazy, while Moonchild is the counterpoint, a young woman at one with nature, exploring the world around her in peace at night with none of the noise or crowds.
7. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
This is the quintessential psychedelic album, and I've heard more than enough to make that assertion. I say that not just for the quality, but the variety. No other single album so thoroughly encapsulates everything the genre was about--the freeform freakout jam sessions, the whimsical dreamscapes, the reinterpreted children's stories, eastern mysticism and making the mundane fascinating. It takes you from the far reaches of outer space to a Tolkien-esque gnome frolicking in the flowers without skipping a beat. This one has it all, as well as the most quirky endearing romantic courtship of all time. The production is like the perfect blend between that SMiLE/Pet Sounds aesthetic with the classic instrumentation and that out of this world quality of the USA.
It's a beautiful peak into the madcap worldview of Syd Barrett, who's tied with Brian Wilson as my all-time fave artist. Both men sadly became acid casualties, but when they were on the top of their game there was no one better. With Syd though, there's a certain appeal there--I read two biographies about him (A Very Irregular Head and Crazy Diamond) and the impression I got from each was that before his breakdown he was creative, confident, personable and romantic. The man portrayed in those books was a larger than life figure, and more than any other musician, old-Syd is the one I most wanted to spend the day with. Even after his breakdown, there were certain anecdotes in the books which made me tear up. As an example, apparently some neighborhood kids came up to him once when he was gardening in order to settle a dispute about their imaginary friends, and Syd patiently explained that anything was possible in your imagination. In another lifetime, Syd would have made a wonderful husband and father, and if he had not gone into music he would have made a fantastic painter by all accounts. Until I discovered George McGovern, Syd Barrett was my hero.
The only reason this isn't number 2 or 3 on my list is because the middle drags a bit. After a mesmerizing string of four tracks, Pow R Toc H is a noticeable decline in quality. It's not bad but I've always found it to be a weak spot. Then you get the noticeably out of place "Take Thy Stethoscope and Walk" which never should have been included on the album. It's an undeniably inferior song, the only one not written by Syd, with a completely different voice and attitude. If you subbed it out with "See Emily Play" as the Side 1 closer, the album would be just about perfect.
While not part of the album, the rest of the Barrett-era Pink Floyd tracks are excellent and don't get the respect they truly deserve in my opinion. Even the unreleased stuff like "Scream Thy Last Scream"/"Vegetable Man" as well as the B-sides like "Candy and a Currant Bun" and "Paintbox" as masterpieces in my book. I just love Syd-era Floyd.
8. Axis: Bold as Love
In my opinion, the most consistent album of the counterculture's most iconic artist. The whole album just has a fantastic momentum from beginning to end, with no sour note in sight. I'm afraid I don't have much else to say about it. It's just a tight, well-written and well-performed album by the greatest guitar player of all time. My favorite track has always been "Got Me Floatin'"
9. Just a Poke
This was either the first or one of the first totally unknown albums I took a blind chance on after YouTube recommended it to me. (For reference's sake, the other two were Gandalf and Cottonwoodhill. Even the USA I checked out because it topped some list online of "best psychedelic albums.") All three were great, and kicked off my three-year "project" of listening to every single new album YouTube recommended to me until there was nothing left. Besides this personal anecdote though, I don't have a whole lot to say about this one either. It's just flawless progressive rock, where each side of vinyl represents an unbroken jam session. Unfortunately, while Sweet Smoke made a few more albums, none were nearly as good.
10. Rubber Soul
Yet again, not a whole lot to say here. It's the Beatles most consistent and cohesive album. Every track is fantastic, and they all sound as though they belong together. It's very probably the first true album, in the sense of a unified and purposeful collection of songs as opposed to a vehicle for the singles padded out by outtakes and filler. On a personal note, this is also one of the first three albums I ever bought along with Pet Sounds and MJ's Off the Wall.
Honorable Mentions: Freak Out!, The Doors, Dark Side of the Moon, Surrealistic Pillow, Cheap Thrills, Cottonwoodhill, Love You, The Smoke, Nosferatu and Genesis by Wendy and Bonnie.
You're a great person BBF.'' - iluvleniloud about me and I.
