Top Twenty Albums

[gherkin]

I tried to narrow this down to a top ten but no dice. Here's 20. OK, 21.

It would be different tomorrow.

21. Lonely Runs Both Ways, Alison Krauss and Union Station. This one, I listened to almost nonstop on a round trip drive between Indiana and NC back in 2006, when we moved here. I had liked it before that trip, but during that drive (11 hours each way), I realized how rich it was. Favorite songs are Dan Tyminski's take on Woody Gurthrie's Pastures of Plenty, and Doesn't Have to be This Way. On that latter one, Alison plays a short fiddle break, only she's actually playing a viola so it's a bit deeper that you'd expect and heartbreaking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j3Jnl3qW3k

20. Save His Soul, Blues Traveler. First heard them play on Letterman. They did Love and Greed. It was very hard to grasp that the dude was playing a harmonica like that. I got to the record store ASAP to buy this album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNIKCVaECgg Blues Traveler also played the greatest concert I ever saw, with the Dude of Life opening.

19. Lawnboy, Phish. Even though I'm from Vermont I never got to see Phish. They're obviously more of a live band than a studio band and their records are, for me, mostly just OK. But this one is a gem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM2ovzw_09Y

18. Paranoid, Black Sabbath. This one gets all the attention because the radio only ever seems to play Paranoid, Iron Man and War Pigs. Those are far from the best Sabbath songs. But this record also has Hand of Doom. And it has their very best song: Fairies Wear Boots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e1W2O5jDPI

17. American Beauty, Grateful Dead. Surprisingly lovely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9uyMjzmT3k

16. American Recordings IV, Johnny Cash. Love the earlier Cash, and my favorite of his songs is Big River. But for albums, this one is the tops. Hurt is the hit, but the most emotional might be We'll Meet Again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7QhMZfgHwc

15. Sergeant Pepper. Great, but I don't get the idea that it's their best.

14. Rubber Soul. This is where they really got great at making albums, of course.

13. Wheels of Fire, Cream. The studio record is their best, IMHO, although I do love Disraeli Gears. But Wheels of Fire has Politician, Deserted Cities of the Heart, Born Under a Bad Sign, and the studio track with my favorite drumming, Pressed Rat and Warthog. And then the live half has Crossroads. I mean. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fHO5cCfI04

12. Master of Reality, Black Sabbath. A couple of their best songs: Children of the Grave and Into the Void. And their Christian rock anthem After Forever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSF3HviqlPk Also Sweet Leaf, a love song to marijuana, which is unfortunate.

11. Master of Puppets, Metallica. Great record. For me, side 2 is considerably weaker than side 1, and that keeps it lower in the rankings than it could have been. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiIc0HuJ78Q

10. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and the Dominos. Of course, Layla is a perfect rock song, but my favorite tune here is Bell Bottom Blues. Actually, I like the live acoustic version Clapton did awhile back even better than the original. If you click none of the other links, check this one out. You can thank me later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4hv_8TXFWg

9. If I Should Fall From Grace With God, the Pogues. No false steps on this record. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LzQOlX7Xl8

8. Abbey Road. The best Beatles "song"=the medley on side 2.

7. The Wall, Pink Floyd. Many people think the 2nd solo on Comfortably Numb is the greatest guitar solo ever. Hard to argue with that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-xTttimcNk

6. Sabotage, Black Sabbath. Hole in the Sky and Symptom of the Universe are probably the best-known songs from this record, and they're great, but I think The Writ and Megalomania are the highlights. Probably the heaviest music ever recorded is at :46-1:01 and repeats later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu2aX_597PQ

5. ...And Justice For All, Metallica. You can complain about the missing bass, but the record is the best thing Metallica ever did. Love Harvester of Sorrow, but prize for coolest intro is Frayed Ends of Sanity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6wxm0POHBE

4. Boston, Boston. From out of nowhere, the greatest debut album ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDI-AdnIK08

3. Guns n' Roses, Appetite for Destruction. From out of nowhere, the second greatest debut album ever. Why is the second greatest debut album higher on the list than the greatest debut album? Hey, it's my list, man. I've told this story many times. I was having lunch with some guys in the music room, and Chris D came in with a cassette. He says 'you guys gotta hear this' and he puts in Appetite, cued up to Paradise City. It is maybe the single most vivid musical memory in my whole life. Needless to say, this was long before they hit the radio big time, so nobody had ever heard of them before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbm6GXllBiw

2. Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton. An oddball among Clapton records, and the first one I ever bought. I still don't know why it was so appealing to 15- or 16- year old me, but I wore it out. This song is actually an outlier on the record because it's got long guitar solos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VKpMI5Msa4

1. Revolver. Obviously.

OK, well, that's enough of a new year's break for me. Back to work.

[Riverboat]

21. Lonely Runs Both Ways, Alison Krauss and Union Station.

I prefer Every Time You Say Goodbye, but LRBW has one song that invariably brings me to tears: "A Living Prayer." Nothing will ever top this in bluegrass, inspiration, Gospel. I want it played at my funeral, if it can be arranged.

Really, I'm just pleased someone included Alison Krauss. I knew I couldn't be the only one passionate about her music.

I'll get back to you on the other choices. Right now I suddenly have a desire to listen to my favorite song.

[anawim]

I haven't had albums in so long, I can't remember all of them. But at the top of the list was
The Moody Blues. I had 5 of theirs.

After that, I also had a few of:
The Beatles

a couple each of:
The Monkees
The Rolling Stones
Cat Stevens
CSN & Y
John Denver
Bee Gees
Fleetwood Mac
Loggins & Messina

[gherkin]

I prefer Every Time You Say Goodbye, but LRBW has one song that invariably brings me to tears: "A Living Prayer." Nothing will ever top this in bluegrass, inspiration, Gospel. I want it played at my funeral, if it can be arranged.

Really, I'm just pleased someone included Alison Krauss. I knew I couldn't be the only one passionate about her music.

I'll get back to you on the other choices. Right now I suddenly have a desire to listen to my favorite song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gmVzbjxwl4 Live on Leno. Girl's got some pipes. I remember her playing the Flynn Theater in Burlington VT maybe in 96 or 97, just when I was getting into bluegrass but I didn't go, and I never bought one of her records until the live album came out in 02 or whenever. Wish I'd caught her in a smallish venue when I had the chance.

[gherkin]

I haven't had albums in so long, I can't remember all of them.

I know people don't do albums anymore really, but I miss that.

The Monkees

I don't think of them as an lp band, more singles. Shows what I know.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I have two of gherkin's 21. I guess I should be happy it's not more.

[gherkin]

I have two of gherkin's 21. I guess I should be happy it's not more.

So few. I'm sure it's Sabbath records.

[Riverboat]

I haven't had albums in so long, I can't remember all of them. But at the top of the list was
The Moody Blues. I had 5 of theirs.

I own all of them except their debut Go Now. Every album since was a radical departure. I love 'em!

CSN & Y

If only that fourth addition had never been allowed: Neil Young. It pains me to reveal I own two albums by the most excruciatingly nasal, whiny voice north of the Canadian border. His sloping brow always gave him a Neanderthal appearance which was mistaken for a deep-thinking stare by other Neanderthals of that age. My slope has corrected itself with age, but poor Neil still looks like he's challenged with the buttons on his coat. And he's still whining about it.

[gherkin]

Honorable mentions: Permanent Waves, Rush. Cosmos' Factory, Rush. Among the Living, Anthrax. The White Album, the Beatles. The Black Album, Metallica. Nevermind, Nirvana. Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath. Permanent Waves, Rush. 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton. She's So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper. Our Time in Eden, 10,000 Maniacs. I'll think of more later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[gherkin]

If only that fourth addition had never been allowed: Neil Young. It pains me to reveal I own two albums by the most excruciatingly nasal, whiny voice north of the Canadian border. His sloping brow always gave him a Neanderthal appearance which was mistaken for a deep-thinking stare by other Neanderthals of that age. My slope has corrected itself with age, but poor Neil still looks like he's challenged with the buttons on his coat. And he's still whining about it.

I hope Neil Young will remember...a southern man don't need him around anyhow.

[anawim]

I haven't had albums in so long, I can't remember all of them. But at the top of the list was
The Moody Blues. I had 5 of theirs.

I own all of them except their debut Go Now. Every album since was a radical departure. I love 'em!

Same here, plus I wasn't as enamored with Seventh Sojourn, nor did I buy Octave.

[Doom]

I was prepared to argue about gherkin's wrong choices, but then I just suddenly realized that I don't actually care enough to argue....is this a sign of....gasp....maturity?

[gherkin]

Surely not that. Don't be so hard on yourself.

[gherkin]

There......are......four lights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Doom, I think I remember you're a GNR hater. But I can't see what other fault you could find. It's a pretty flawless list.

[Doom]

It's not that I'm a hater I just really don't see much redeeming value in their music, occasional beautiful ballads like November Rain or Sweet Child O' Mine notwithstanding, their songs are usually profanity-laced tirades that in a better time could never have been released.

AC/DC is often pretty crude, but they do it without profanity or extremely explicit lyrics, except for a few crude songs like The Jack or Whole Lotta Rosie, which were very early in their career before they established their style, they rely on innuendo, double entendre, and elaborate puns which are usually at least somewhat clever, and sometimes humorous, even if not all that sophisticated. AC/DC even at its worst is strictly PG, Guns 'n' Roses are NC-17.

[Riverboat]

I wasn't as enamored with Seventh Sojourn, nor did I buy Octave.

Never heard of Octave. Maybe that's for the best?

All of their other post-Go Now albums have at least three songs that captivate me. I love Threshold of a Dream from beginning to end.

[gherkin]

It's not that I'm a hater I just really don't see much redeeming value in their music, occasional beautiful ballads like November Rain or Sweet Child O' Mine notwithstanding, their songs are usually profanity-laced tirades that in a better time could never have been released.

The point about the profanity is legit, and I probably have to more or less just overlook that in my rating of the record. However, I don't know about their songs "usually" being profanity-laced. Some of the best songs even from Appetite aren't very cussy, like Paradise City and Welcome to the Jungle. And then there's stuff from the Illusions records like Estranged that isn't as well-known as November Rain, but maybe better. Slash's lead lines in Estranged make the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmAY059TTY

I think GNR's language problem is the fault of the industry and the world they lived in. Basically, you had rock-musical-geniuses that in a better world would have avoided the gutter language who unfortunately did not. You can easily imagine a great tune like You're Crazy without all the swearing. It doesn't add anything. The acoustic version is way better than the version on Appetite. Very solid song, just too much "freedom."

AC/DC is often pretty crude, but they do it without profanity or extremely explicit lyrics, except for a few crude songs like The Jack or Whole Lotta Rosie, which were very early in their career before they established their style, they rely on innuendo, double entendre, and elaborate puns which are usually at least somewhat clever, and sometimes humorous, even if not all that sophisticated. AC/DC even at its worst is strictly PG, Guns 'n' Roses are NC-17.

Back in Black could have been on my list!!!!!!!!!!!1 But I do find the lyrics a bit too juvenile at this point in my life.

[Doom]

Highway to Hell is a better album, but my personal favorite is Powerage, it's the one album that is different from all the others.

The problem with Guns ‘n Roses can be summarized with the EP GNR Lies, which contains the beautiful ballad Patience and a tolerable cover of Mama Kin by Aerosmith, along with the foul “It's So Easy” and the truly vile “One in A Milion” which they have promised for 35 years to remove but it is still there.

[gherkin]

The problem with Guns ‘n Roses can be summarized with the EP GNR Lies, which contains the beautiful ballad Patience and a tolerable cover of Mama Kin by Aerosmith, along with the foul “It's So Easy” and the truly vile “One in A Milion” which they have promised for 35 years to remove but it is still there.

It's So Easy is from Appetite, and it is a pretty awful song. I mean, it's a really catchy song, but the lyrics are awful. However, a couple of observations. First, it may not be quite right to think of it as sung with approval of the "message". Maybe Axl's point is really to criticize the attitudes of the narrator. That may not sound super plausible, but it's so nihilistic that to me it honestly seems like a lament more than a celebration. It's the same Axl that wrote Sweet Child o Mine, which is a fairly poignant and vulnerable love song. Even though he evidently got violent with Erin Everly at least sometimes, and is not by any account a very nice man, there's more to him than It's So Easy shows, and I suspect he was saying so.

Second, I have to admit that whatever we make of that first point, the lyrics are so punk that at least some of them are disarming. There's a verse that goes "I see you standing there. You think you're so cool. Why don't you just, ________." You think about all the bands trying to do intellectual sounding, fancy pants stuff. And Axl makes no such attempt. It's totally dumb, and Axl could write more sophisticated lyrics when he wanted to. Sometimes the dumb is cool.

I'd say basically the same thing about One In a Million. To me, the key lyric is "I'm a small town white boy just trying to make ends meet." It's like Welcome to the Jungle from a different angle. Here's modern city life in all its ugliness. And again, it's pretty punk. It's hard to be transgressive in 1988. Axl pulled it off. Not something to praise him for, but I don't know if he should take the heat for actually having all those attitudes that he expresses.

[Doom]

After decades of claiming that he didn't mean what the lyrics clearly say, Axl didn't admit that he wrong One in a Million in an intentionally offensive way to rile people up. Which is a childish desire.

That said, even though it is most mediocre songs with only a couple of standout tracks, Chinese Democracy has the most mature lyrics he has ever written.