Music, being very, VERY subjective, is, well...kinda subjective. Anyway, one criteria I use to judge a really great album/CD/mp3/whatever is whether or not the entire album is listenable. You know, not one with four or five good cuts and then some crap thrown in as filler. I was reminded of this while watching a VH1 Classic show about Fleetwood Mac made Rumors - one of my favorite albums of all time.
Rumors falls within the definition I provided. I suppose that "Oh, Daddy" is the song I like the least, but even it has some definite listenosity. The band's troubles throughout the one-year period during which Rumors was recorded are well-documented. I have a particular afinity for the album because it came out just after I finished my Air Force enlistment and moved from the Gulf Coast to Kosciusko, MS. My own marriage was deteriorating in early 1977 when the album was released and, being into the lyrics even back then, I could relate. All five members were going through hell - and they still managed to make one of the better albums ever cut.
Shortly before Rumors, Bob Seger released "Night Moves". This is another album with not one bad cut or filler. No matter how often I listen to it, it never gets old.
A few others that come to mind are Sgt. Pepper and Led Zeppelin IV. But, don't let me run on and on; Post some of your ideas for great albums.
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A great album to me is simply one I don't put on to hear a song.
ReplyDeleteQueensryche - Operation Mindcrime: This album grew on me, it's a concept album, the story is ok, but the flow of the album is just great. Great all around album.
Deep Purple - Deep Purple: Before changing singers and writing their more well known songs, this was their 3rd album, and frankly, still my favorite. I like everything on it and rarely skip a song.
Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed: This may contain one of their greatest hits, but frankly it's an album that I find hard to jump to a specific song. Sure, I may want to be in a certain mood, but it's great.
Badly Drawn Boy - Hour of the Bewilderbeast: Hard to explain this guy, basically a one man band, living in lo-fi, and maybe having more to do with folk most of the times, but this album is a quirky gem.
Blind Melon - Blind Melon & Soup: Hey, both of their first 2 albums are great. I think Soup is a little less consistent, but I generally prefer it.
Kings of Leon: I can't really skip anything on their last 2 albums: Because of the Times & Only by the Night. Well, maybe I could skip Seventeen, but I generally don't.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream: One of the most complete albums of the 90s.
Live - Throwing Copper: possibly better than Siamese Dream.
Pink Floyd - Animals: What can I say, I like this more than Dark Side...
I could go on and on with metal albums I find to be great, but not sure they are for everyone.
Short list:
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Def Leppard - Pyromania
Actually, thought of another, and it's messed up. Produced by Ben Folds, and suprisingly fun to listen to. William Shatner - Has Been. I don't know what exactly to say about it, but you must give it a try sometime. It has a few duets, and a messed up sense of humor sometimes.
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