Great Albums.

[norcalAF]

Supernatural by Santana
Diamonds on the Inside by Ben Harper
Hope for the Hopeless by Brett Dennen
lessons and Blessing by Cas Haley
The Music is you: A tribute to John Denver by various great artists
Home/Phantoms of Summer: The Acoustic Sessions by Dirty Heads
Trio by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris
From The Fires by Greta Van Fleet
The Road Goes On Forever by The Highwaymen
Utah by Jamestown Revival

and many many more!

 

[berth]

Some of my favorite albums include those with very distinct sides, and you're so right in that the concept doesn't really translate well to CD or other forms.

Rush - Caress of Steel (B Side is 1 song, The Fountain of Lamneth) Yes, I actually like this album!

Rush - 2112 (A Side is 1 song, 2112)

Rush - Hemispheres (A Side is 1 song, Cygnus X1 Book II: Hemispheres)

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, by Dream Theater, is a two CD album, the second disc is a single song (in 8 tracks -- 42+ minutes).

When they released The Awakening a few years ago, I mentioned to my wife "Hey, the new Dream Theater album is two CDs!" She said "Oh, so they released two new songs then?" The Awakening is a concept album, 2112 2.0 writ large (music saves the world story). I have them combined in to a single playlist so I can play the whole thing.

Yeah, but doesn't just about everyone have "Legend", the Best of Bob Marley?

I've never been a fan of Reggae. Bores me to death.

I know it's already been said that listening to a vinyl album is a different experience than streaming in various ways.

It makes folks more trigger happy to be sure.

But if you lived then, you knew those wincy or annoying moments of suffering through a track.

Funny, the second CD i purchased was Nuclear Furniture by Jefferson Starship. And that CD, on one of the songs that I can't remember, had a skip on it. So, even today (were I to play it), I get surprised when the song doesn't skip. Similarly, I had a Queensryche album (Empire) that DIDN'T QUITE FIT the 90m cassette, so when the last song doesn't cut out at the end, it still take me by surprise.

Even post vinyl, we still had our challenges.

 

[Eldritch]

Hmmm...

I was really surprised by the depth of sound and quality on

The Genitorturers - Blackheart Revolution

Others of note off the top of my head:

KMFDM - Nihil

NIN - Pretty Hate Machine

Battle Beast - Self Titled
Battle Beast - Unholy Savior

Covenant - Northern Light

Lord Of The Lost – Empyrean

Participants shoudl be advised that the below 4 Albums should be listened to in their entirety, in the song order they were distributed from the studio in, and that this is more than art, this is a BECOMING.

Reviewers should wear sunglasses inside when listening. Participants may notice a crossing of arms over chest with palms flat when listening. Rooms will darken as Spider Webs form and bats begin to swirl around you. This is a feature, not a bug.

The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always
The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland
The Sisters of Mercy - Vision Thing
The Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander By Mistake

 

[easter bunny]

I could probably think of a thousand given the time, but some classics:
The Police- Synchronicity
Sting - Ten Summoners Tales (I'm a huge Police fan)
Peral Jam - Ten

And anything Zappa.

 

[Rtmac]

Not a dog in the bunch.

 

[WoodsChick]

Not a dog in the bunch.

This was my playlist in high school! Louisiana Rain is still one of my favorite songs and it makes me cry with nostalgia when I hear it.

 

[Rtmac]

This was my playlist in high school! Louisiana Rain is still one of my favorite songs and it makes me cry with nostalgia when I hear it.

I love Louisiana Rain!! Such an under rated song, imo.
All of these albums came out when I was 16.
Ahhh, sixteen years old, such memories. These albums were a big part of my "soundtrack".
"Damn the Torpedoes" was the first cassette I bought to play in my first car.
The first time I smoked weed (in the back seat of a buddy's 68 Camaro) was the first time I heard Van Halen 1. I can still remember hearing "Eruption/You Really Got Me" and thinking everything is different now!
I can still listen to any of these albums straight thru with no songs skipped.

 

[davidji]

I could probably think of a thousand given the time, but some classics:
The Police- Synchronicity
Sting - Ten Summoners Tales (I'm a huge Police fan)

Huge Police fan, but in their day, even their best (Ghost in the Machine, Synchronicity) weren't listen through albums because they always included songs from the other guys.

Their single best album (& one of the best live albums) is Certifiable, from the Buenos Aires performance on their 2007 reunion tour.

 

[WoodsChick]

I love Louisiana Rain!! Such an under rated song, imo.
All of these albums came out when I was 16.
Ahhh, sixteen years old, such memories. These albums were a big part of my "soundtrack".
"Damn the Torpedoes" was the first cassette I bought to play in my first car.
The first time I smoked weed (in the back seat of a buddy's 68 Camaro) was the first time I heard Van Halen 1. I can still remember hearing "Eruption/You Really Got Me" and thinking everything is different now!
I can still listen to any of these albums straight thru with no songs skipped.

We're the same age
And yes, everything was different after that!

 

[budman]

another fav

I had the cassette.. it was just lime green and easily found in my camaro at all times.

 

[Bay Arean]

Someobdy already got Carole King Tapestry. Also that James Taylor album, I think it was Fire and Rain or it had that cut and it was played an awful lot. They were both really good albums.

 

[Lucky Jones]

[youtube]YQH4nrpJGAM[/youtube]

[youtube]lDdHUWW2Btw[/youtube]

[youtube]pZRjBib5cBk[/youtube]

 

[metalmaster]

this has to be on the list

 

[Abacinator]

I know it's already been said that listening to a vinyl album is a different experience than streaming in various ways.

One is that one didn't really want to go over and pickup the stylus when it got to a track that was less desirable. But if you lived then, you knew those wincy or annoying moments of suffering through a track. That's why I didn't put White Album on my list, because it needed editing. I really, really hate the song "Why Don't We Do IT in the Road" for example. I just thought it was stupid but I let it play back in those days. If I had it on a CD, I'd just walk over and click it through. Not with vinyl because I'd be afraid of scratching the damn thing.

So, being honest about it, sometimes it takes a Greatest Hits record to say that you could listen from beginning to end in a state of enjoyment. There wasn't an early ground rule about some kind of artistic purity of intent in a given project. In fact, albums reflected at least a part of the concept of a "B side" of a single, which was often acknowledged as a lesser version of whatever was on the A. This penetrated into albums as well, I think. This has probably changed in the digital age.

I think I understand the appeal of owning vinyl, but I'd honestly much rather listen to high quality digital media. I don't want to hear tinny, scratchy tunes. I hate when bands add the effect to make it sound like an old victrola, or whatever.

Anyway, nobody wants to hear what my all time best albums are

 

[Rtmac]

this has to be on the list

Yes! As well as this...

 

[lizard]

Regarding vinyl...

I have a very nice system that I bought back in the day. All separates.

I have a few mastered LPs. The acoustics improved after one or two times. Then the music was fantastic. A certain warmth that digital could not replicate. After listenind 6-7 times I would retire the LP because the quality would then degrade. Never to listen to it again.

The Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun, the mastered version in LP format was absolutely beautiful! I played it about 5 times and have not played it since 1986.

Not looking to argue over analog v. digital just sharing my experience with those who may not have experienced beautiful analog music.

Carry on!

 

[berth]

[youtube]YQH4nrpJGAM[/youtube]

Yea, this was a stand out album. I was fortunate to see them with G&R and the Rolling Stones in the Coliseum. I remember playing this cassette on Hwy 33.

 

[budman]

Yes! As well as this...

Good choice. Fully on board.

 

[budman]

this has to be on the list

Down and in black.

 

[Abacinator]

Regarding vinyl...

I have a very nice system that I bought back in the day. All separates.

I have a few mastered LPs. The acoustics improved after one or two times. Then the music was fantastic. A certain warmth that digital could not replicate. After listenind 6-7 times I would retire the LP because the quality would then degrade. Never to listen to it again.

The Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun, the mastered version in LP format was absolutely beautiful! I played it about 5 times and have not played it since 1986.

Not looking to argue over analog v. digital just sharing my experience with those who may not have experienced beautiful analog music.

Carry on!

I'm just not sold on the whole WARMTH thing. I guess I'm just not an audiophile. I totally get wanting to collect them what with all the cool album artwork, picture discs, unique pressings, etc, and going through the motions of playing records certainly must give some satisfaction. But if it degrades that quickly I don't feel like you can really get much enjoyment out of it. But to each their own.