Favourite Albums/Album Recommendations

While it was requested that the "Best Albums" thread be stickied, I like the idea of being able to share your love for any album as oppossed to ones that have to be classified as "best." So here we are.

Here you can share your favourite albums, and recommend albums to others. Of course, this means that you can’t just simply write up big lists of albums, but should probably explain why they are your favourite, or what sort of person might be interested in checking out an album you recommend. Links to streaming songs (such as on YouTube) as examples are welcome.

NOTE: While out-and-out bashing isn’t really the best way to critique an artist, it is not out of the realm of possibility that someone may strongly dislike an album or artist you like. Bashing an artist, within reason, will not be condemned, but attacking a person for their musical tastes will NOT be tolerated.

YAY first post!

An album I will never ever get rid of is the Presidents Of The United States Of America!
the album with kitty and peaches and dune buggy...
It's just so much fun

I also really love my Pink Floyd, Animals album. it's fantastic.

ah, the days when rock was written as an ALBUM, not a collection of unrelated songs...

These aren't albums I'd consider to be "Best ever". Just my favorites.

1.

Dookie - Green Day

Standout Tracks:
Burnout
Longview
Welcome To Paradise
Basket Case
When I Come Around
F.O.D

Welcome To Paradise - Green Day

2.

Make Yourself - Incubus

Standout Tracks:
Privilege
Nowhere Fast
The Warmth
Stellar
Make Yourself
Drive
Pardon Me

Pardon Me - Incubus

I could do more, but it'd just be more Green Day/Incubus albums.

I wrote a review for...

Less Than Jake - GNV FLA

It's here! At me blog!

Not just copy/pasting, because boo to that. Instead, as an exclusive to ZU, I will post the track-by-track notes I made in preparation for writing the review in their entirety, word-for-word, massive amounts of cursing included.

City of Gainesville -> Good intro -> announce return, mellow to loud transfer track. "I may be going broke, but I'm never breaking down."
State of Florida -> Chris + Rog shared vocals, LTJ chorus
Lion City -> horn hook intro = woo!, infectious, if repetitous chorus
Summon Monsters -> chorus woo! Recorded break/interlude sooo old school
Abandon Ship -> meh
Handshake Meet Pokerface -> kinda meh, "whoa's" in full force
Settling Son -> nyah, good chorus
Malachi Richter's... -> "Metalheads"-like intro, but still kinda meh
Golden Age -> short track, solid vocal work by Rog, nice little chorus
Space They Can't Touch -> kick-ass intro, awesome upbeat, nice prechorus melody, nice song
Conviction Notice -> HOLY **** chorus! repetitive, nut hella catchy, "nanana" Solid track, **** yeah harmonizing chorus, HELL **** YES Roger Bridge! "money can't buy happiness, but it sure can pay the rent."
Gonna Leave a Bruise -> ****ing awesome vocal work, harmonies in the chorus + melody; ****ing ENERGY!!
Life of the Party -> interrupts energy somewhat, but not bad interlude
Devil in My DNA -> Way energetic. Way to go Rog on vocals for album, too bad no harmony, but a solid-ass final track.

In no particular order:
Animal Collective - Feels [Absolutely amazing album. Perfect blend mellow and upbeat music.]
Brand New - Deja Entendu [No specific reason as to why I find this album so much more enjoyable than the rest, but it is definitely a "must listen to" kind of album.]
Circle Takes the Square - As the Roots Undo [Favorite band/favorite album of all time]
Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog [As much as I love every other one of their albums this one just really seemed to hit home for me.]
Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica [One of their catchiest/impressive albums.]
The Spill Canvas - One Fell Swoop [Perfect album to listen to when you're feeling down.]
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois [The man is a genius and this album shows it. Perfect for any mood.]
Underoath - Cries of the Past [Before Dallas left and before they became the not-so-amazing post-hardcore that they are now. The album has amazing double bass and some beautiful breakdowns.]
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot [So many albums, so many to choose from. This one is just my particular favorite]

I could sit here and list bands and albums for the rest of the day, but I fear I must put a limit to my writings. So these are some of the ones on the top of my list.

Pink Floyd: Animals
A concept album based on the book Animal Farm, it's hard to break this album down for scrutiny as it all flows together well into one sound, but alas, I shall try.

1: Pigs on the Wing
A soft intro, short and sweet to start it all off. Not a particularly great song by itself, but it fits well with the album

2: Dogs
17 minutes and 8 seconds of bliss. The lyrics are very good, particularly at the beginning and ending of the song. Lots of sweet guitar works keep it interesting.

3: Pigs [Three different ones]
Eerier than the two tracks before it, it blends effects and background noise with guitar to perfection.

4: Sheep
As with Pigs, it's more eerie than dogs, but incorporates some of the same sounds from it. There are some...uh synthesized vocals I suppose you'd call them...that add to it very well.

5: Pigs on the Wing [part two]
The finale to the cd, it ends much the way it started. A softer song with a sort of 'completion' of the lyrics from the first track.

Only one album suggestion. Hilary Hahn's new album solely for the Sibelius violin concerto. Can't conceive of a better rendition of the legendary piece.




YouTube - Hilary Hahn - Sibelius Violin Concerto 3rd Movement

The third movement makes me want to stab myself in the stomach and make love to someone at the same time..... is that normal?

I really like Pretty Odd from Panic! At the Disco. <33333

Hey GaleDeep, was that picture your actual suggestion list? Great taste.

Especially Aeroplane. God I love that album. It's one of the few that I first listened to forever ago and still discover new things about it every damn day.

It's actually just a random assortment I put together. Though I like and would reccomend pretty much any one of them. I was trying to get a good representation of different genres and such.

I know the Insomniac is often in the shadow of Dookie, but honestly I much prefer Insomniac. I absolutely love almost every song on that album, with the possible exception of Tight Wad Hill.

However, standout tracks would probably be:
Armatage Shanks
Stuck With Me
No Pride
86
Stuart and the Ave.
Walking Contradiction

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow is a favorite album of mine. I love every song, with Man on the Silver Mountain being my favorite on it. Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore made a really great duo for the time they were together, Ritchie's awesome playing and Dio's amazing voice. Anyone who likes rock, especially hard rock, should check this album out. It's too bad that Rainbow isn't that well known these days.

Well, great picks anyway.

Have you listened to Screamadelica by Primal Scream? If you haven't heard the entire album, you've probably heard Movin' on Up or Loaded, at one point or another, but that's one I usually always recommend to people. It's great for people who are really into blues rock and want something with a little electronic influence to ease them into the genre, or it's great for people who love both blues rock and electronica, as it's a really great genre mixer. Imagine a chicago Deep House producer putting out a rolling stones album and you've got Screamadelica.

I also recommend the recently reissued Dennis Wilson Pacific Ocean Blues. It's not quite as epic as SMiLE, but it's still absolutely amazing and a bit of a summer mood lifter as well, as it was sort of his escape from the emotionally crushing spiral of depression he was in when he put together SMiLE.

Anyway, that's just what I'm listening too right at the moment. As for overall favorites:

The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Just an excellent Baroque rock album all around. You'll either worship it or vehemently hate it, but if you do take the time to get into it, you'll probably discover that you like it a lot. Their sophomore album took a bit more of a Springsteen turn, but I'd argue it's just about as good. Funeral is just a bit better in my mind.

Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed
If Sympathy for the Devil and Ruby Tuesday were on this album, it would be my all time favorite, but as it stands, it's definitely in my top ten.

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper ect...
Just amazing, don't even need to give a reason. Their midpoint album, before they went in the more Lennonesque direction that really merged the absolute best of both McCartney and Lennon. Not too pop, not too psych, perfect balance of both.

Belle and Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap

Arguably, Belle and Sebastian sold out to pop music, but TBwtAS was made long before this supposed turn, and to me it represents the epitome of the "quirk indie" emotion that is often imitated today by many bands but fails to achieve the level that this album did. Not to say that quirk indie is particularly the best style of the genre, but regardless, this album is my all time favorite in that particular niche.

The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle
Pop + 60's experimental. These guys are actually touring again, and I'm hoping to get tickets. Anyway, it's just a great album, and it's one that's good for introducing people who've only listened to pop their entire lives into deeper genres. It's catchy enough to garner at least some attention from the general public, but deep enough to entertain any self-righteous hipster. Again, good balance, as with a lot of my favorites.

Bob Dylan - Bringing it All Back Home
Almost anyone will argue that Highway 61 is Dylan's best, but the folk influence was still largle present in Home, and I think that brought some better elements to a lot of Dylan's music. I would personally agree that Highway 61 was probably the height of his music lyrically, but musically, I much prefer his Home.

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge over Troubled Water
Folk Rock at it's finest, except for maybe In the Aeroplane over the Sea

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane over the Sea
Talked about it a few posts up.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See a Darkness
I'm not entirely sure what this album really is. Bonnie "Prince" Billy switches genres constantly, his latest, Lie Down in the Light, is some really great folk music, I'd argue the best I've heard since 2000, but regardless, Darkness is certainly an odd creation. I'd call it very, very low-key indie pop with some folk influence, but it's still extremely hard to define.

I also really like Pink Floyd, quite a bit of folk music (form southern stuff like Townes Van Zandt to pop-folk like The Seekers,) and a lot of funk influenced stuff.

EDIT:: and after reading QuietChaos's post, I also have to add Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Good choice with Iron and Wine too.

Originally Posted by Leinator

The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Just an excellent Baroque rock album all around. You'll either worship it or vehemently hate it, but if you do take the time to get into it, you'll probably discover that you like it a lot. Their sophomore album took a bit more of a Springsteen turn, but I'd argue it's just about as good. Funeral is just a bit better in my mind.

As much as I love Funeral, I think Neon Bible actually ekes ahead as my favourite. I think it has the big grandiose feel to it that the organ sound and the fact that it was recorded in a big empty church brings to it, in a Cowboy Junkies Trinity Session-esque way. I just think the "big" sound of it works so well, and it's got such a perfect flow to it.

Originally Posted by Leinator

I also really like Pink Floyd

Any album in particular?

Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed
If Sympathy for the Devil and Ruby Tuesday were on this album, it would be my all time favorite, but as it stands, it's definitely in my top ten.

Ugh. With the exception of Gimme Shelter, Love in Vain, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and Monkey Man, that album is nothing compared to other great Stones' releases.

My favorite Rolling Stones album would have to be Beggar's Banquet with Sticky Fingers following closely behind.

Banquet just hit me perfectly at the perfect time I guess. I love every song on it and it just one of those albums you love so much that you don't skip a single track. Sympathy for the Devil as the opening song is just so immensely powerful in it's lyrics and Mick Jagger's growl-like tone. Not to mention that bassline! It was actually Richards who played bass on the track, which he also did on songs like Jumpin' Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man. No Expectations is just a beautifully crafted song and what really makes it is Jone's slide guitar. I never understood why they did not release Jigsaw Puzzle as a single as it is just a really catchy song with, what seems to me, a great time span (plus Bill Wyman tears that song up!). Street Fighting Man is also a powerful song, and hell if I know how Richard's achieved that sound on his acoustic at the beginning. I know they recorded it on a tape player in someone's house, but it just has a edgey sound to it. Stray Cat Blues is an all-around good blueish song, which is way it rocks. The intro just plain out rocks, and it's one of those Stones songs where Jagger's voice just makes it soooo much more amazing. Like it fits inbetween the lyrics. Crazy. Factory Girl, about that chick that hung around with Andy Warhol, forget her name, was actually a song that Jack White wanted to play with the Stones when he had a show with them awhile back. and Salt of the Earth maybe one of the best album closing songs of all time. Dig those piano chords at the end and Keith's voice at the beginning. It switches to Jagger after the first verse.

Originally Posted by Galedeep

As much as I love Funeral, I think Neon Bible actually ekes ahead as my favourite. I think it has the big grandiose feel to it that the organ sound and the fact that it was recorded in a big empty church brings to it, in a Cowboy Junkies Trinity Session-esque way. I just think the "big" sound of it works so well, and it's got such a perfect flow to it.

I think some of the lyrics fall a little be flat at certain points, but I agree for the most part that it's "bigger." Intervention alone is probably their best single, but the cascading vocal lines and instrument harmonies in Power Out come pretty close in my mind. They're so close, it really comes down to subjective opinion, I don't always prefer "Big" I suppose, so maybe that's why I tend to lean towards Funeral.

Any album in particular?

It's the answer everyone gives, but mine is still DSotM. It, like many of my other favorites, also features a balance between a particular band's styles, and in Pink Floyd's case, classic rock and synth. It was the transition album, and it really illustrated everything perfect about their two sides.

Ahh, right. I think I'm in preference of Wish You Were Here personally. Just something about the guitar in that is just... funky. Shine On You Crazy Diamond oozes funk, and Have A Cigar is practically frothing at the mouth with it.

Originally Posted by hypno_toad

I know the Insomniac is often in the shadow of Dookie, but honestly I much prefer Insomniac. I absolutely love almost every song on that album, with the possible exception of Tight Wad Hill.

However, standout tracks would probably be:
Armatage Shanks
Stuck With Me
No Pride
86
Stuart and the Ave.
Walking Contradiction

While I do love Insomniac, I think that the songs on Dookie are pretty significantly better. Longview, Welcome To Paradise, When I Come Around, Basket Case... Its hard to beat an album with songs like that.

Originally Posted by Comrade

Ugh. With the exception of Gimme Shelter, Love in Vain, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and Monkey Man, that album is nothing compared to other great Stones' releases.

My favorite Rolling Stones album would have to be Beggar's Banquet with Sticky Fingers following closely behind.

Banquet just hit me perfectly at the perfect time I guess. I love every song on it and it just one of those albums you love so much that you don't skip a single track. Sympathy for the Devil as the opening song is just so immensely powerful in it's lyrics and Mick Jagger's growl-like tone. Not to mention that bassline! It was actually Richards who played bass on the track, which he also did on songs like Jumpin' Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man. No Expectations is just a beautifully crafted song and what really makes it is Jone's slide guitar. I never understood why they did not release Jigsaw Puzzle as a single as it is just a really catchy song with, what seems to me, a great time span (plus Bill Wyman tears that song up!). Street Fighting Man is also a powerful song, and hell if I know how Richard's achieved that sound on his acoustic at the beginning. I know they recorded it on a tape player in someone's house, but it just has a edgey sound to it. Stray Cat Blues is an all-around good blueish song, which is way it rocks. The intro just plain out rocks, and it's one of those Stones songs where Jagger's voice just makes it soooo much more amazing. Like it fits inbetween the lyrics. Crazy. Factory Girl, about that chick that hung around with Andy Warhol, forget her name, was actually a song that Jack White wanted to play with the Stones when he had a show with them awhile back. and Salt of the Earth maybe one of the best album closing songs of all time. Dig those piano chords at the end and Keith's voice at the beginning. It switches to Jagger after the first verse.

Banquet is definitely my second favorite, I have no argument towards its greatness, but the almost surreal and weird lyrics in Let it Bleed really make it shine for me. Musically, Banquet is just a bit stronger, but I consider lyrics a strong point for The Rolling Stones, and in my mind they were strongest in Bleed.