Author Topic: AVclub's top 25 albums to listen to from start to finish (Read 3271 times)

Himu · « **on:** March 31, 2009, 02:13:28 PM »

http://www.avclub.com/articles/turn-off-the-shuffle-25-great-albums-that-work-bes,25837/1/?utm_source=pager

Pretty good article

Eric P · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:18:03 PM »

meh

i found this to be too Concept Album focused.

There are many albums which are not concept albums which sound good if you listen to them from start to finish. Paul's Boutique is a big one because of the call backs to previous elements in other songs.

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:18:07 PM »

No Sgt. Pepper?

No Abbey Road?

Eric P · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:18:47 PM »

yeah, Abbey Road is another great album to listen to from start to finish, assuming you skip Her Majesty.

Thanks, Paul

Himu · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:19:50 PM »

I think some of the hip hop picks are there just because they wanted to include hip hop and couldn't think of anything else. Not dissing Del, but still.

Eric P · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:20:54 PM »

yeah that again makes me think this list was really a concept album list. Also Doctor Octagon thematically linked, for sure, but I wouldn't think of it as a concept album (their words).

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:22:51 PM »

Paul told the tape operator to edit the song out of the album

Also

Dark Side of the Moon >>>> the Wall

The Wall is too much filler.

Rman · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:25:26 PM »

meh.

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:25:54 PM »

Blonde on Blonde, Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust, and Pet Sounds are missing here. I guess those albums, along with the Beatles albums I mentioned, are just too mainstream and obvious.

Reb · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:28:32 PM »

I was expecting The Streets in there after reading the first few.

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:32:31 PM »

Forgot about London Calling. The album has a couple of mediocre songs, "Brand New Cadillac" or "Guns of Brixton," but it's pretty much perfect from start to finish.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:34:10 PM »

The Wall? I love Floyd but seriously, wtf. There's filler on that album

Himu · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:34:58 PM »

what about OK Computer?

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:35:23 PM »

Quote from: Green Shinobi on March 31, 2009, 02:32:41 PM

Malek, the albums you listed are great, but I wouldn't really say that they would suffer if you listened to the songs a few at a time or out of order.

I guess that's true, but I think the albums wouldn't work nearly as well with the songs out of order. I say that, of course, having listened to the albums in their correct orders numerous times, so maybe I just don't have a good imagination.

edit: the B-side of Abbey Road wouldn't work at all with the songs out of order. And Pepper wouldn't be the same without a Day in the Life at the end. The Dark Side of the moon wouldn't work as well unless it started off with Speak To Me/Breathe and ended with Eclipse.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:38:31 PM »

Quote from: Himuro on March 31, 2009, 02:19:50 PM

I think some of the hip hop picks are there just because they wanted to include hip hop and couldn't think of anything else. Not dissing Del, but still.

Paul was basically responsible for the second side medley, smh.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:41:35 PM »

Quote from: Green Shinobi on March 31, 2009, 02:32:41 PM

This isn't about albums where every song is good. This is about albums that work best if you listen to them all at once, and in order. Malek, the albums you listed are great, but I wouldn't really say that they would suffer if you listened to the songs a few at a time or out of order.

Neither would Dark Side of the Moon for that matter. The Wall has too much filler. The one Pink Floyd album that absolutely works best when listened to it as a single work is Wish You Were Here.

I'll never understand the love for Wish You Were Here as pinnacle Pink Floyd for as long as I'll live. Welcome to the Machine is one of the worst Pink Floyd songs ever written.

Himu · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:41:37 PM »

Quote from: Green Shinobi on March 31, 2009, 02:37:01 PM

Quote from: Himuro on March 31, 2009, 02:34:58 PM
what about OK Computer?

So good if you can skip No Surprises. Climbing Up the Walls right into Lucky is such a great transition, but that song has to get in the middle and ruin everything.

What's wrong with No surprises?

Usually the song people hate on in OK Computer is The Tourist, and I love that song. The one track that stains OK Computer is Fitter Happier.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:44:46 PM »

The only one I've listened to is Operation: Mindcrime

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:48:19 PM »

I also don't get why they brought in a guest vocalist for Have a Cigar when his voice seems near indistinguishable from a decent Dave Gilmour around that time.

Quote from: Green Shinobi on March 31, 2009, 02:44:08 PM

Quote from: Mamacint on March 31, 2009, 02:41:35 PM
Welcome to the Machine is one of the worst Pink Floyd songs ever written.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
That song is one of my top 5.
[close]

Let's bring back the love

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2009, 02:54:48 PM »

Welcome to the Machine is one of Pink Floyd's best songs. That entire album is amazing actually

In The Court of the Crimson King suffers due to songs that are long just for length's sake. All the songs are good to great but it's kinda annoying to listen to. And despite having heard it many times I still get disappointed when the songs don't bust into badass guitar solos. smh

De La Soul is Dead should be on the list

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:06:57 PM »

I've always wanted to try out Zaireeka, but I'm a little confused as to why that's on here rather than some of the things Malek has mentioned. I always hear Zaireeka is dumb, even after you had all the shit set up.

drew · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:13:18 PM »

Quote from: Malek on March 31, 2009, 02:18:07 PM

No Sgt. Pepper?

No Abbey Road?

ugh

UGH

#5 should be enough to abate your baby boomer faggotry

Himu · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2009, 05:13:28 PM »

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

BobFromPikeCreek · « **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:18:26 PM »

Quote from: Malek on March 31, 2009, 02:25:54 PM

Blonde on Blonde, Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust, and Pet Sounds are missing here. I guess those albums, along with the Beatles albums I mentioned, are just too mainstream and obvious.

Much as I love Ziggy, nope. It Ain't Easy fucks it up.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #24 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:25:07 PM »

It Ain't Easy is a good song, smh

Hang on to Yourself=meh. And it's not even a "bad" song.

Kara · « **Reply #25 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:34:58 PM »

no Emergency & I $:-\$

Propagandhim · « **Reply #26 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:42:11 PM »

Zen Arcade - nice.

Fresh Prince · « **Reply #27 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:53:29 PM »

Quote from: Himuro on March 31, 2009, 02:19:50 PM

I think some of the hip hop picks are there just because they wanted to include hip hop and couldn't think of anything else. Not dissing Del, but still.

Del

Backpacker garbage

Hell Ready to Die is a concept-ish album why isn't that on the list.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #28 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:56:40 PM »

My list, focusing more on albums you can listen to from start to finish, instead of concept albums

(not a complete list)
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, WYWH
Nas - Illmatic
Led Zeppelin II, IV
Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers
GZA - Liquid Swords
Common - Resurrection
Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth
Fiona Apple - Tidal

I'll have to think of some more

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #29 on:** March 31, 2009, 07:02:02 PM »

I think Illinois is an awesome pick on that list though. Sufjan needs to fucking man up and do something new.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #30 on:** March 31, 2009, 07:31:01 PM »

Lou Reed's "New York" would have fit this bill perfectly and it's fucking awesome. He always points out in interviews that he intended it to be listened from start to finish, like reading a novel. Works best that way for sure. A lot of the list had me scratching my head.

TEEEPO · « **Reply #31 on:** March 31, 2009, 07:36:41 PM »

not a bad list for a bunch of newbz.

i understand why the picked some of the albums, but it also goes to show how little they know.

Eric P · « **Reply #32 on:** March 31, 2009, 07:45:20 PM »

which is odd because they tend to be quite knowledgeable

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #33 on:** March 31, 2009, 07:47:06 PM »

some of their features are kinda like that though. They link to another in that feature about like 26 best short-story songs or something that was pretty odd as well.

I usually enjoy features like this but sometimes they can overreach.

Robo · « **Reply #34 on:** March 31, 2009, 08:25:39 PM »

I get the impression that a few of the authors were a little confused about this project. Most of this list works if the original goal is interpreted as a list of albums that work, but only if they're listened through the entire way in single sitting, hence the abundance of concept albums and albums hinged on a theme. Albums with songs that might make you go

when you're sitting around with your music player on shuffle, but you won't think twice about when you hear in context.

But albums like Illinoise or Skylarking, which don't require any supplemental knowledge to enjoy any random track, are totally out of place.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #35 on:** March 31, 2009, 09:35:05 PM »

I think Illinoise works in both situations, to be honest. I just did it, actually, and I can see why they picked it.

I don't really understand the Sinatra one or the Drive By Truckers one.

BobFromPikeCreek · « **Reply #36 on:** March 31, 2009, 10:17:21 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on March 31, 2009, 06:25:07 PM

It Ain't Easy is a good song, smh

Hang on to Yourself=meh. And it's not even a "bad" song.

It Ain't Easy is a terrible cover of a shitty gospel song that doesn't mesh with the rest of the album at all. I will never understand why that song ended up on the album and Velvet Goldmine didn't.

Lafiel · « **Reply #37 on:** March 31, 2009, 10:27:41 PM »

I argee with #2 #3 #5 #6 #7 #16
STRONGLY disargee with #4, the wall is such a boring album to listen to from start to finish i end up skipping alot of songs, dark side of the moon would've been more suited to that list imo.
And as someone said earlier itt i have no idea how adam and eve is on that list when it's not even thier best album chrome is way better.

ToxicAdam · « **Reply #38 on:** April 01, 2009, 12:17:52 AM »

Sign O' the Times
Fear of a Black Planet
Antichrist Superstar

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #39 on:** April 01, 2009, 02:38:50 AM »

Quote from: BobFromPikeCreek on March 31, 2009, 10:17:21 PM

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on March 31, 2009, 06:25:07 PM
It Ain't Easy is a good song, smh

Hang on to Yourself=meh. And it's not even a "bad" song.

It Ain't Easy is a terrible cover of a shitty gospel song that doesn't mesh with the rest of the album at all. I will never understand why that song ended up on the album and Velvet Goldmine didn't.

It Ain't Easy>Velvet Goldmine

BobFromPikeCreek · « **Reply #40 on:** April 01, 2009, 02:40:06 AM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on April 01, 2009, 02:38:50 AM

Quote from: BobFromPikeCreek on March 31, 2009, 10:17:21 PM
Quote from: Phoenix Dark on March 31, 2009, 06:25:07 PM
It Ain't Easy is a good song, smh

Hang on to Yourself=meh. And it's not even a "bad" song.

It Ain't Easy is a terrible cover of a shitty gospel song that doesn't mesh with the rest of the album at all. I will never understand why that song ended up on the album and Velvet Goldmine didn't.

It Ain't Easy>Velvet Goldmine

smh

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #41 on:** April 01, 2009, 03:39:00 AM »

Pulp - Different Class

....although most of them would be/were great singles too. sigh

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Author Topic: AVclub's top 25 albums to listen to from start to finish (Read 3271 times)