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

[Dead kate moss]

AMORAL, I like most of your selections so could you 'sell' me the following?

Black Earth - Bohren und der Club of Gore

Honorable mentions:
Have One on Me - Joanna Newsom
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel

Cheers!

[amoral]

Sell as in extoll the virtues of? Or sell as in help a brother out? Unfortunately I don't know how to do the latter.

[Dead kate moss]

Tell me why they rule, please.

[The Boston Crab]

Black Earth rules because it is very dark ambient jazz and creates a crushing but comforting/addictive atmosphere. It is not something I would listen to all the time, and mostly during the day if I want to play at being moody, but I suppose I could use it to fuck 'alternative' girls.

In An Aeroplane Over the Sea rules because the singing and playing are so fantastically 'from the heart' and very 'loud'. It's not something to put on in the background, for me, anyway. Lyrically, very powerful imagery, very physical.

Joanna Newsom is not for me.

[danyulx]

In An Aeroplane Over the Sea...

..the most joyous, heart-felt celebration of (in the face of?) death and despair ever committed to music, in the LP format. Few albums so sooth my heart as that one does (a rare other being Van Morrisson's 'Astral Weeks').

But I think it's one of those albums that could mean absolutely anything to anyone: but that's what it means to me. It took me at least five thorough listens to realise it's a flat-out masterpiece.. On initial listens I thought I was dealing merely with yet another case of wanton overrating of the part of everyone but me, but nevertheless I stuck with it. Was I wrong.

'On Avery Island' is very good album too, though perhaps would've made a much better (perfect) E.P.

Jeff Mangum is up there with Don Van Vliet, Leonard Cohen, Mark E. Smith and Morrissey as one of the greatest lyricists of all the time. He seems to have been pulling himself back together over the last few years - after what sounds like a mental breakdown ten years or so back. I'm sure I'm far from the only person on earth with my fingers crossed that we'll one day get a release of newly-written, recorded music from the man... I doubt he'll ever have anything even approaching another 'Aeroplane' left in him, but it doesn't matter.

[Retinend]

I've now given Aeroplane Over The Sea "a chance" on 2 seperate occasions (once just now) since hearing it for the first time and thinking "....meh". Horribly flat powerchords throughout, underneath a voice that strikes me generally as unremarkable; sometimes swinging into bratty / grating. The occasional use of horns is a more interesting touch, but like on Beirut's albums they're used in a way that makes me think that the arranger had only a perfunctory competence composing with the instrument. On "Holland, 1945" the horns remind me more of my village harvest festival marching band than anything more exotic or mystical.

The vocal melodies, particularly on "Oh Comely", come across as samey. You can cut that track in half by skipping from 2:48 through and past the middle few minutes to 6:00, bypassing a concrete block of monotonous repetition with little variation or deviation. When the horns come in at 6:00 they're typically arranged - obediently following the vocal melody - even though this is supposedly the triumphant climax of the album's epic 8-minuter.

Maybe skipping those few minutes would be to miss a great story that's worth listening to in its own right, but it didn't grab me by the cockles with its poetic claw; despite how super serious the tone of it all was (holocaust serious, no less). It included grandiose, universally-thematic terms scattered around, alongside plenty of uses of the word "we" lying in wait to trigger intense reveries on any past romantic distresses or successes that I have locked away in my emotional memory... yet despite getting so much right, I didn't care about its symbolism, finding the imagery more picturesque than intriguing.

But aside from that, I felt the songs were straitjacketed. I felt the raw, steaming emotion that was clearly busting out of the lyrics should have been paired with more loose, dynamic - emotionally expressive songwriting. As it stands, the lyrics seem ludicrous over the top of such a stern, disaffected 90s indie rock/pop rhythms and structures.

Danylux compared it to Astral Weeks, which is, I think, probably the most embarrassing comparison this album could sustain. Compare the vividness of imagery that you receive from the intonation and accent of the singer. Or compare the expressiveness of melody. Or compare the interplay between band members (when they occur). Or compare the shifting, unorthodox rhythm guitar of Astral Weeks to the 4/4 strummings of IAAOTS. Or the way in which the melodies evolve. Or the way in you are made to laugh and smile, as well as sitting reverently dewey-eyed in the crutch of your forearm.


edit: sorry - to qualify my accusation that "Oh Comely" is samey: he does actually palm mute a bit in the second verse

[danyulx]

I've now given Aeroplane Over The Sea "a chance" on 2 seperate occasions..........

Three or four more times and you'll have cracked it, then.

See: my experience, above. My first and second listens in particular did almost absolutely nothing for me. Most of your criticisms were also mine; I also found it quite orthodox and strait-jacketed.... until I found out I was wrong. I also thought 'Oh Comely' was very samey, a waste of six minutes.. until I found out it is in fact one of the greatest songs of all time.

As for my "embarrassing" 'Astral Weeks' comparison (which I think is a much better album, by the way: arguably the greatest album, ever).. Well, it was an extremely subjective comparison, as I think was clear. They are very different albums on many levels - I'm not comparing them musically or technically or anything - I think you describe 'Astral Weeks' as brilliantly, in your description, as you erroneously describe 'Aeroplane'-  but they're the only two albums I've ever heard that have physically caused me to break down crying: out of both sadness and joy, at once.. on quite a few occassions too. And for that reason alone I fit them into the same drawer. Simple as that.

[amoral]

Black Earth rules because it is very dark ambient jazz and creates a crushing but comforting/addictive atmosphere. It is not something I would listen to all the time, and mostly during the day if I want to play at being moody, but I suppose I could use it to fuck 'alternative' girls.

In An Aeroplane Over the Sea rules because the singing and playing are so fantastically 'from the heart' and very 'loud'. It's not something to put on in the background, for me, anyway. Lyrically, very powerful imagery, very physical.

Joanna Newsom is not for me.

Totally agree about Black Earth and In the Aeroplane. As for Joanna Newsom, I wouldn't have called myself a fan in the past, although I enjoyed the odd song. But Have One on Me is full of gorgeous melodies and playful, evocative lyrics. It's pretty and mysterious, basically :)

[Vitalstatistix]

Retinend - two listens and all you did was scribble down things you didn't like. You make me sick!

[Retinend]

3. Very spread out, too. I gave certain tracks more runs over whilst I was writing that.

[Dead kate moss]

I've got Aeroplane Over The Sea and will get the other couple too. If there is any from my top ten I'd like others to try if they haven't already, please seek out Bongwaters Power Of Pussy and let me know what you think.

[garbed_attic]

I like these threads and I'm sure some newer members haven't done this one. Plus, I want to revise my list:

Cardiacs - A Little Man and a House and the Whole Wide Window
Paul Simon - Graceland
The Residents - Demons Dance Alone
The National - Alligator
R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
Big Star - Third/ Sister Lovers
Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
Oingo-Boingo - Dead Man's Party

Third/ Sister Lovers is a recent discovery and displaces the Mountain Goats' still excellent 'All Hail West Texas', speaking to just how much the former seems to resonate with me.

Thick as a Brick should probably have been on the list before and replaces The Decemberists' 'The Hazards of Love', which I have a tremendous amount of affection for, but is probably too unwieldy to be in my top 10, despite the ludicrous epic folk-mental-progness of it all. Thick as a Brick's first side is basically perfect though.

The Cardiacs' choice was easy for me since while 'Sing to God' is doubtlessly a majestic thing, it doesn't resonate with me on as immediate a level as ALMaaHatWWW does.

Tom Waits is tricky. 'Rain Dogs' was the first Waits album I heard and bought (simply on the basis of the cover - I hadn't much heard of him) and while it's a tad over-long, it is so deeply enjoyable and daft-sinister, that it just about beats the more conventionally beautiful 'Blue Valentines' or the seductive and maudlin 'Alice'.

With R.E.M. I'd probably actually opt for the 1991 best of compilation if this was a desert islands discs sort of affair and that didn't feel like cheating. Inevitably all my favourite R.E.M. tracks are dispersed across a couple of decades, but Fables has the tone and sound which I find the most gratifying, I think.

[Petey Pate]

I like these threads and I'm sure some newer members haven't done this one.

No there's no need because:

I think we can safely award Petey Pate coolest guy and lock thread

[Famous Mortimer]

This thread has reminded me of how little music I've really listened to since 2011. Every spare audio minute has been comedy stuff, so I ought to try and change that.

[Roy*Mallard]

Jeez, i remember the quite pathetically-harrowing stress of having to choose the original 10 on my list. My reworked mother list on page 3 of this thread looks pretty good, tho there are a few big omissions.......

The Times - Up Against It & Enjoy
Bevis Frond - Sprawl
Frank Sidebottom - 5.9.88

[ThisIsHardcore]

Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Pulp - This Is Hardcore
Happy Mondays - Pills N' Thrills And Bellyaches
R.E.M. - Automatic For The People
The Clash - London Calling
The Libertines - Up The Bracket
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Radiohead - OK Computer
Nirvana - In Utero
Pixies - Doolittle
The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs (if you count it as an album)

Yes, I know that's thirteen. But shush!

[Neville Chamberlain]

You could always get rid of The Clash, The Libertines and The Pixies because they're rubbish!

[Johnny Townmouse]

A list!

Tindersticks - Tindersticks I
The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
Suicide - Suicide
Terminal Cheesecake - Angels in Pigtails
The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream
Throbbing Gristle - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
Negativland - Escape from Noise

[Lyndon]

Alan Shearer   
Andrew Cole   
Thierry Henry   
Robbie Fowler   
Frank Lampard
Wayne Rooney
Les Ferdinand   
Michael Owen   
Teddy Sheringham
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

[garbed_attic]

Suicide - Suicide

Don't think I could manage 'Frankie Teardrop' more than once a year, really. I even felt funny writing it. / shivers

P.S. Actually, I only listened to it/ bought the album, because of folks on here discussing it!

[Johnny Townmouse]

Don't think I could manage 'Frankie Teardrop' more than once a year, really. I even felt funny writing it. / shivers

Nick Hornby reckons it is a song that you only listen to once. I listened to it twice last week so he can fuck off.

The fact that Suicide were making that sound in 1970 blows my mind. Completely visionary and uncompromising.

[303]

Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses
Pet Shop Boys - Actually
Psyche / BFC - Elements 1989-90
Brian Eno - Thursday Afternoon
Fela Kuti - Zombie
Yabby You - King Tubby's Prohpesy Of Dub
Miles Davies - Big Fun
Boards Of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children
The Human League - Dare
Art Of Noise - Who's Afraid Of The

[Why I Hate Tables]

Rowland S Howard - Teenage Snuff Film
Scott Walker - Tilt
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man
These New Puritans - Hidden
Bjork - Vespertine
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
Patrick Wolf - Lycanthropy
Einsturzende Neubauten - Halber Mensch

Tusk is a recent entry, for a long time I dismissed Fleetwood Mac as just a lot of bland, wishy washy California sea, sun and cocaine nonsense: a lot of their Buckingham - Nicks era stuff is just that, but I've got a soft spot for Tango In The Night and absolutely love Tusk. The production is phenomenal and there're few moments in rock more uplifting to me than the sudden wash of Beach Boys harmonies on I Know I'm Not Wrong.

I'm not sure why Patrick Wolf is so widely dismissed. His last album was a bit shit, yes, but he's what popstars should be as far as I'm concerned: outspoken, prone to dressing like a twat but more than capable of making it look cool, and sonically ambitious. He's as comfortable working with Eliza Carthy as he is with Nic Endo and that's what pop music should be about for me. Lycanthropy's still his best album though: the sound of a young man sounding like Kevin Rowland channeling Bjork but somehow coming out with something completely different. Paris in particular from Lycanthropy sums up why I rate him so highly.

It changes fairly often, but with a few core albums that're always present: honourable mentions to Kate Bush - Hounds of Love; Julian Cope - Fried; Depeche Mode - Black Celebration and Jesu's self-titled debut album in particular.

[bigfatheart]

Big Star - Radio City
Descendents - Milo Goes to College
The Dirtbombs - Ultraglide in Black
Fugazi - The Argument
New Bomb Turks - Scared Straight
Oxbow - The Narcotic Story
Randy Newman - Good Old Boys
The Replacements - Let It Be
Sparks - Kimono My House
Wire - Pink Flag

[SteveDave]

In no order-

Ram- Paul & Linda McCartney
The Flamin' Groovies- The Flamin' Groovies
The Velvet Underground- The Velvet Underground
Loaded- The Velvet Underground
The Beatles (White Album)- The Beatles
Parklife- Blur
...Are The Village Green Preservation Society- The Kinks
A Group- Markley
The Hums Of- The Lovin' Spoonful
Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous Etc- David Devant & His Spirit Wife

[El Unicornio, mang]

REM - Automatic for the People
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Crowded House - Together Alone
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
Radiohead - The Bends
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Stone Roses - Stone Roses
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Suede - Suede
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction

Not even a top 10 REM album, IMO.

Not just being pointed either- Murmur, Automatic For The People, Reckoning, New Adventures In Hi Fi, Accelerate, Green, Monster, Out Of Time, Life's Rich Pageant, Document. All superior.

There must be something particular about it though, I'm guessing.

[garbed_attic]

Not even a top 10 REM album, IMO.

Not just being pointed either- Murmur, Automatic For The People, Reckoning, New Adventures In Hi Fi, Accelerate, Green, Monster, Out Of Time, Life's Rich Pageant, Document. All superior.

There must be something particular about it though, I'm guessing.

Well, R.E.M. is probably the trickiest because their good tracks are dispersed and they have many solid albums. 'Automatic' is sturdy and a comfort, but sometimes lulls along a bit. 'Murmer' I onlt know about half of really well, oddly, though the songs I do know are majestic. 'Reckoning' is incredible and probably my 2nd favourite, but it is a little thing, and sometimes feels a bit wispy to me (despite that being one of its myriad charms).  'New Adventures in Hi Fi' is half a perfect album (my friend Chris and I once condensed it down to an absolutely stonking half-an-hour). 'Accelerate' is perfectly good pop-punk but a bit irritatingly poe-faced, which some very right-on lyricism. 'Green' is lovely but daft. 'Monster' is a whole lot of fun but I need to be in a certain mood to enjoy its sleazy charms. 'Out of Time' is deeply gorgeous and contains both 'Country Feedback' and 'Texakarna' but it also contains 'Radio Song'. 'Life's Rich Pageant' is a tremendously good album and one of my favourites, but it doesn't emotionally hit me in the way 'Reckoning' does - bloody lovely though. 'Document' chunters along at a great pace and is brilliant walking music, but isn't very close to my heart.

'Fables' on the other hand is taut and a little addled, mysterious, nervous and really Southern. It's also the closest they ever got to post-punk. I guess I just little quite skittish and anxious music - being a skittish and anxious person, that tends to be what resonates.

Also, it has 'Maps and Legends', 'Driver 8', 'Green Grow the Rushes' and 'Can't Get There From Here'. My ultimate R.E.M. album though would actually be some combination of Reckoning, Fables and Life's Rich Pageant.

[Don_Preston]

You could always get rid of The Clash, The Libertines and The Pixies because they're rubbish!

You forgot Radiohead, Stone Roses and Manic Street Porters!

[Natnar]

Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Jeff Wayne - War Of The Worlds
Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night
Peter Gabriel - So
The B-52's - Bouncing Off The Satelltes
Euirythmics - Savage
Suzanne Vega - Nine Objects Of Desire
Laurie Anderson - United States Live
Bjork - Selmasongs
Sam Brown - 43 Minutes