Your Top 10 Favourite Albums of All Time, Ever!: The Thread

[Danger Man]

Plus it has about the greatest opening of any album ever.

There's a thread and a half, right there.


(Any LP with 'Shankly' 'Tutu' and 'Some Girls' on it does not deserve acclaim....grrrrr)

[CaledonianGonzo]

The Queen Is Dead is my favourite Smiths album, alright.

Well - Louder than Bombs aside.

[Nobody Soup]

No, it was really a question.  It just seems there are certain types who are afraid to admit to liking something that others might deem uncool. Either that, or it's just a massive coincidence that 90% of the music they love is critically acclaimed.  Or they write for NME.

I know what you mean but I think it's quite easy to see this from a self-affirming point of view, someone could pick a billion seller like thriller and someone could pick some weird krautrock thing that no one's heard of and both could easily be criticised by saying they're "critically acclaimed" in a vaguely sarcastic manner, because with the wealth of different forms of journalism you can find someone to back something up as being either an incredibly obscure cult classic, underappreciated or famous masterpiece. I just think it comes across as being a bit of a sneaky form of criticism that looks to equate peoples tastes with journalistic trends and fashions.  Perhaps there is a bit of what you said going on, but I'd say it's quite hard, for me anyway, to appreciate music in a complete vacum.

anyway, post your list, don't see much sniping going on, I'm just interested to see these lists, yours as much as anyones. Someone mentioning Bill Callahan along with a few of my favourite artists made me check out his solo stuff which I hadn't bothered to do so I'm just trying to take the positives from it.

[Crabwalk]

(Any LP with 'Shankly' 'Tutu' and 'Some Girls' on it does not deserve acclaim....grrrrr)

They're integral to the album though! They provide much needed breathing space around all the melodrama.

And any album with 'The Queen is Dead', 'I Know it's Over', 'Cemetry Gates' 'Bigmouth Strikes Again', 'The Boy With the Thorn in His Side', and 'There is a Light that Never Goes Out' on it deserves all the acclaim you could throw at it.[nb]'Never Had No One Ever' is a little bit ripe[/nb]

[garbed_attic]

If I were to put 'best of's' down some of my less respectable music taste would be represented - The Pet Shop boys would certainly be on there, but often pop bands are great at producing singles, not albums. I'd find it much harder to compile, say, a favourite top 50 songs of all time, but the Pet Shop Boys, Jack Off Jill and Catatonia would all be represented.

[buttgammon]

Hell, if I made a list of my top fifty songs of all time, at least five would be by the Pet Shop Boys, and yet my list was almost exclusively 'the best post-punk albums beloved of music journalists'.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

it has about the greatest opening of any album ever.

If by "it" you'd meant Highway 61 Revisited, you'd have been right.

[Crabwalk]

I was referring to 'opening moments' rather than opening tracks. I wouldn't fancy putting any song up against 'Like a Rolling Stone', but I think it's intro can be beat when it comes to launching an album.

Anyhow, maybe I should start an appropriate thread...

[bitesize]

i have been thinking. it was hard. seems i have a firm top 5 albums ever, but there are at least another 10 all trying to get in the next 5 slots. so currently i have:

Caribou: Up In Flames (though they were still called Manitoba when this first came out)
Fridge: Eph
Tortoise: TNT
Bark Psychosis: Hex
Radiohead: Kid A
Madvillain: Madvillainy
Soul Coughing: Ruby Vroom
Koushik: Out My Window
Mos Def: Black On Both Sides
Slint: Spiderland

and then a bunch of others like 3ft High + Rising, Wowee Zowee, Endtroducing, Nation Of Millions, Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, Young Team etc etc all in the running for promotion next year.

[Kane Jones]

Caribou: Up In Flames (though they were still called Manitoba when this first came out)
Fridge: Eph
Tortoise: TNT
Bark Psychosis: Hex
Radiohead: Kid A
Madvillain: Madvillainy
Soul Coughing: Ruby Vroom
Koushik: Out My Window
Mos Def: Black On Both Sides
Slint: Spiderland
and then a bunch of others like 3ft High + Rising, Wowee Zowee, Endtroducing, Nation Of Millions, Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, Young Team

I only know two of the artists in your list and I bet you can guess which two they are.  Fuck me, I'm out of touch.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Crabwalk - I meant "opening moments" too. But have to admit, havinheydays the song so many times it's almost impossible to view the opening moment(s) in isolation. Then again, if we're 'of a fixed duration' (set number of seconds) then even in isolation, H61R/LARS, has an extremely strong case.

[Johnny Yesno]

Music is as much about nostalgia and a gut reaction than anything else.  There must be someone on here that's dying to put Bryan Adams -Waking Up The Neighbours or ABBA - Arrival on their list because they fell in love with a girl who played that album all the time, or whatever reason.

I can honestly say I rarely listen to music for nostalgia purposes or if I do I'm doing it unwittingly. I don't feel comfortable thinking about the past and I tend to listen to music that makes me think about the future (usually the far future), or the past long before I existed, or alternate realities. It's about imagination for me, not thinking about past loves.

[riotinlagos]

Those are all albums I really love (except Song Cycle), so I'll check out Sven, whom I've never heard of.

I have a great affection for library and (nature) film music from the 1970s, and Libaek's warm, evocative music is the best example of it I've heard.
Here's the title song from the album I listed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6CEc_N_ao

[bitesize]

I only know two of the artists in your list and I bet you can guess which two they are.  Fuck me, I'm out of touch.

  not so much "out of touch" as "didnt listen to the same music in the 90s", i guess - there's only 3 records from after 2000 there... most is 90s post-rock classics.

[Kane Jones]

I can honestly say I rarely listen to music for nostalgia purposes or if I do I'm doing it unwittingly. I don't feel comfortable thinking about the past and I tend to listen to music that makes me think about the future (usually the far future) or the past long before I existed. It's about imagination for me, not thinking about past loves.

So are you saying that none of your favourite albums remind you of a certain time in your life; First year at uni, a great holiday, etc? I'm not saying I don't believe you, but if not, that's pretty rare and very interesting.  Almost all of my favourite albums are over 10 years old and I love them for the kinds of reasons I've just stated.  I can put them on now and they whisk me back.  I can say I 'really like' a new album, but I can't imagine loving an album unless it's been played many times for a significant chunk of my life and has some kind of memory tied to it.

Do you like Christmas songs?  I do.  I know they're largely naff, but I love Christmas and they remind me of being a child and the excitement attributed to these memories, so I can't feel anything but love for them.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

I can honestly say I rarely listen to music for nostalgia purposes or if I do I'm doing it unwittingly. I don't feel comfortable thinking about the past and I tend to listen to music
that makes me think about the future
(usually the far future), or the past long before I existed, or alternate realities. It's about imagination for me, not thinking about past loves.

Gotta pity the kids o' today. Never linked arms and high-kicked to Hi Ho Silver Lining. Never slow danced to True. Probably never headbanged to Highway To Hell or pogoed to Anarchy In The UK.
Never thrown shapes to N Joi or raised their hands in the air to Xpansions etc

What's left for the children now?

[Kane Jones]

  not so much "out of touch" as "didnt listen to the same music in the 90s", i guess - there's only 3 records from after 2000 there... most is 90s post-rock classics.

You're right - I just went onto youtube and listened to some of your favourites and realised then that they've been around for quite a while.  Sorry.  And yeah, the majority of music I enjoy is 3 and a half minute songs with catchy choruses, so I guess we don't like the same kind of thing.  Kid A is brilliant though - I tuned out after that as Amnesiac was just too weird for me.

[Crabwalk]

Stop procrastinating KJ and post your ten!

[Dead kate moss]

Loads of my favourite singles would not be from particularly critically-acclaimed acts, but with albums, over the years, the ones that stay as faves often tally with what others have decided are 'great.' It's one of the reasons you seek them out, then often you think 'yes, this is jolly good I can see why people rave about it.'

Also, it's true that almost every act has been 'critically rehabilitated' these days by someone.

And Cheap Trick are great.

[Kane Jones]

Stop procrastinating KJ and post your ten!

Ha ha!  I'm not really procrastinating.  I've been trying but I'm finding it nigh-on impossible to whittle it down to ten albums and I have already mentioned five that would be in the list.  Add AC/DC's Back In Black (or Highway To Hell..) and there's six!

[Johnny Yesno]

So are you saying that none of your favourite albums remind you of a certain time in your life; First year at uni, a great holiday, etc? I'm not saying I don't believe you, but if not, that's pretty rare and very interesting.  Almost all of my favourite albums are over 10 years old and I love them for the kinds of reasons I've just stated.  I can put them on now and they whisk me back.  I can say I 'really like' a new album, but I can't imagine loving an album unless it's been played many times for a significant chunk of my life and has some kind of memory tied to it.

Yes, they do have associated memories including bafflement at the music itself. But that's not why I listen to them still. It's precisely because I can ignore those memories and enjoy the music for its own sake even after all these years that makes those albums special. I do own albums that vividly conjure up great times that I just can't face listening to now. Even good baggage is too much baggage, it seems.

Do you like Christmas songs?  I do.  I know they're largely naff, but I love Christmas and they remind me of being a child and the excitement attributed to these memories, so I can't feel anything but love for them.

No, I hate Christmas songs. The piped music in shops at this time of year is slow torture of the dripping water variety.

[Johnny Yesno]

Gotta pity the kids o' today. Never linked arms and high-kicked to Hi Ho Silver Lining. Never slow danced to True. Probably never headbanged to Highway To Hell or pogoed to Anarchy In The UK.
Never thrown shapes to N Joi or raised their hands in the air to Xpansions etc

What's left for the children now?

Destroying robots to Datsik?

[Kane Jones]

Loads of my favourite singles would not be from particularly critically-acclaimed acts, but with albums, over the years, the ones that stay as faves often tally with what others have decided are 'great.' It's one of the reasons you seek them out, then often you think 'yes, this is jolly good I can see why people rave about it.'

I see what you're saying - but sometimes albums are great for more personal reasons too.

Also, it's true that almost every act has been 'critically rehabilitated' these days by someone.

True, although I still don't see much love for Kiss.  That's okay though, I still love them.

And Cheap Trick are great.

Amen.  Their 70s output is fantastic.  Their 80s, less so.  I quite like their last few albums though.  Robin Zander is a criminally underrated singer and Rick Nielson is an amazing guitarist and songwriter.

[Detective John Kimble]

A toughie, but then I like listing things.

Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
Tom Waits - Small Change
PiL - Metal Box
The Raincoats - The Raincoats
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
The Beatles - Abbey Road
The KLF - Chill Out
Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band

A bunch of other albums that I love just as much and would be hanging around there:  The Slits - Cut, Kraftwerk - Computer World, D'Angelo - Voodoo, COIL - Horse Rotorvator, Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime, Nick Drake - Pink Moon, Scott Walker - Tilt, Beach Boys - Pet Sounds, This Heat - self-titled, Brian Eno - Before and After Science, Laura Nyro - Christmas and the Beads of Sweat, Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St., Crass - Yes Sir I Will, The Stooges - Fun House.  I hope I've got a good score!

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Off the top of my head:

[Tom Pynchon's Photo]

1 John Martyn - Bless The Weather
2 Blue Nile - Hats
3 Pink Floyd - Dark Side of The Moon
4 Steely Dan - Aja
5 Pixies - Surfa Rosa
6 New Order - Power Corruption and Lies
7 The Who - Quadrophenia
8 Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights
9 Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
10 Tim Buckley - Dream Letter (live in London)

[Hank_Kingsley]

I see what you're saying - but sometimes albums are great for more personal reasons too.

True, although I still don't see much love for Kiss.  That's okay though, I still love them.

What?! Dude, Kiss get mad love. Look at the calibre of the bands who covered them on 'Kiss This!', much beloved by many great bands (Melvins, Sleater Kinney, Lemonheads, Nirvana).
I think 'Destroyer' is widely recognised as an absolute classic. They're iconic. They easily get as much, if not more, love as bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath or Def Leppard.

I totally rate them, they make great big dumb party records. I've always put them in a similar place in my brain next to the Ramones or Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. Simple, but effective, rock n'roll.

[The Boston Crab]

I think the accusations from you and Boston Crab are a bit harsh.

Look at the opprobrium I have to put up with for daring to take the piss out of people's meaningless lists.

isn't this just another way of the framing the typical snobbery around peoples music choices i.e. "sigh, your choices are so obvious."

Don't second-guess me, son. Your list blew, face it.[nb]I've no idea if you wrote a list.[/nb]

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

1. The Boston Crab - Opprobrium
2. Crabwalk - Accusations
3. Will Self - Epiphenomenal Imbroglio In D#
4. Hank Kingsley - Big Dumb Party Records
5. Kane Jones - 70s Output
6. Riot In Lagos - Library And Nature (Film) Music
7. Nobody Soup - Billion Seller
8. Danger Man - Thread And A Half
9. Mr. Emnity - Dwell Into A Genre
10. Defmem - Bollock Load

[El Unicornio, mang]

The only 'complaint' I have with this thread is that The Queen is Dead keeps popping up. It doesn't deserve to be in a "Top Three Smiths LPs" list let alone a 'Top Ten Favourites of all time' list.

It was actually my least favourite Smiths album for years, but I listened to the remaster, on headphones, about a month ago and it totally clicked with me. Still think 'Vicar in a Tutu' is shit, mind.