Music lovers? (No, I must be the only one
)
Here are my top 10 favourite albums of all-time. I limited this list to what you could call popular music (otherwise, there might be a Miles Davis etc album in there as well). The top 3 is pretty much set in stone, but other than that there's no strict order.
Neil Young - After The Gold Rush
I'm not exactly the biggest Neil Young fan in the world, but this album really hit me back in the early 1990s, and it has stayed with me ever since; 11 songs, each more beautiful than the other. If I had to name favourites, they would be "Tell Me Why", "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Don't Let It Bring You Down", "When You Dance You Can Really Love", "I Believe In You"... Ah, the whole damn thing.
The Beatles - Abbey Road
The A-side is fine but it is the 'pop symphony' on the B-side that makes this such a masterpiece for me. Even though Lennon and McCartney couldn't get along during the time the album was made (1969), they surely could still combine musically with great results. A bit of a breakthrough for George Harrison as well (two classics with "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun"), and Ringo is, well, Ringo. It probably has the best production and vocal harmonies of any Beatles album too.
Metallica - Ride The Lightning
My favourite Metallica album. As I see it, there are five masterpieces, namely "Creeping Death" (the best metal song ever?!), the title track, "Fade To Black", "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "The Call Of Ktulu", and three lesser but good songs (the rest). A huge leap from Kill 'Em All in my opinion - the songwriting and arrangements, Hetfield's vocals, playing, production, you name it, everything's improved.
The Who - Who's Next
Slightly pompous here and there, but what the heck, I forgive them! Originally it was meant to be another rock opera called
Lifehouse. Excellent songwriting throughout. Along with the biggest hits ("Baba O'Riley", "Behind Blue Eyes", "Won't Get Fooled Again"), there's also the gorgeous breakup song "The Song Is Over" and brilliant "Bargain", but there really isn't a bad one among the bunch. My only complaint is that Pete Townshend sings a little too much on the album, but it is kind of understandable; the record is so heavily
his creation (John Entwistle's contribution "My Wife" doesn't change that fact much).
Dr. John - Gumbo
I love New Orleans music (R'n'B, funk, rock and roll). Love it! Here are 12 (or 14, depending on how you count them) NO classics brilliantly performed by one of the biggest Crescent City icons, Mac Rebennack alias Dr. John. So OK, it's a record with only cover songs on it, but what does it matter when the versions are consistently even better than the originals (and in some cases there really even isn't an original). A sort of beginner's guide to New Orleans R'n'B, but it gives joy and pleasure after many many listens as well. Let the good times roll indeed.
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
My favourite punk/hardcore band ever by far, and their debut album is their best in my opinion. Merciless lyrics with Jello Biafra's sneering delivery, and the music is clever; there's hardly any straightforward 'bashing' on the album, almost every song has quirks and bits to keep one interested. I would have left the cover of "Viva Las Vegas" off the record, but no big deal.
Genesis - A Trick Of The Tail
This is the best Genesis and prog album ever in my opinion. The band had something to prove after Peter Gabriel left and prove they did. I often find even the most classic prog 'masterpieces' uneven and overrated, but I think this is a very well-balanced record. "Entangled" is one of the most beautiful songs ever, and the title track is the best song that The Beach Boys or The Beatles never did in the 1970s.
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Although I consider this album slightly uneven, it has been a very important one for me from the moment it came out in 1991. Heavy but groovy ( Matt Cameron is a brilliant drummer!), multifaceted, and, of course, Chris Cornell had a unique voice and he was a great artist - although his stuff outside Soundgarden has never quite impressed me that much. Anyway, "Slaves & Bulldozers" is one of my favourite metal songs ever, and there are plenty of other great ones on this record too.
The Band - The Band
One of my top bands, and this is a nearly flawless record in its genre. Like with Neil Young's
After The Gold Rush, almost every one of the 12 songs is better than the next. Although it is not as versatile as some of the later Band albums, you can't really complain about the songwriting here. The sound on the album is a bit too 'dry' for my liking, though; if it had been made a couple of years later, it might have even better groove, but I'm just nitpicking here.
Little Feat - Feats Don't Fail Me Now
My favourite album from my favourite band... Or something like that. Looking at it strictly song by song, this maybe should not be on a top ten list, but the playing is so groovy, Lowell George's voice is so soulful (he sings on most of the tracks anyway), and well, those compositions are not too shabby either. A very versatile album; has everything from a bit of reggae beat ("Rock And Roll Doctor") to New Orleans funk ("Spanish Moon") to almost jazz fusion ("The Fan" and some bits on the "Cold Cold Cold/Tripe Face Boogie" medley).
There are many other records that could be in the top 10, for example:
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Van Morrison - St. Dominic's Preview
Steely Dan - Countdown To Ecstasy
The Beatles - Revolver
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Little Richard - Here's Little Richard
The Ramones - The Ramones
Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star
Laura Nyro - Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
The Clash - London Calling
Bob Marley and The Wailers - Catch A Fire
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory
King Crimson - Red
Abba - The Visitors
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
Huh, better stop now... otherwise I'd still be typing next week...
Anyone else have a list?