I thought it would be interesting to see people post their absolute favorite albums of all time. Your desert island albums, albums with huge personal significance to you, whatever. Those albums that you know note for note and can always listen to and be blown away by. I thought by doing this we could all expand our own musical horizons, or something.
This is in no order (well I guess it has to be in an order, but it's of no significance):
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
IMO this is the greatest single musical statement ever. People usually recommend My Favorite Things as a first Coltrane album, but I got this instead. If I remember right it was the second pure "jazz" album I ever bought, after Kind Of Blue. Right away here I knew something was different from anything I'd ever heard. Coltrane wanted to make this album his gift to god, and it's definitely worthy of a deity. Everyone on it is just perfect. I listened to the whole album at least once a day for months after I got it. I don't listen to it as much anymore, but every time I do I'm still blown away.
Miles Davis - A Tribute To Jack Johnson
The fusion album. The perfect mix of rock, funk, soul, jazz, and whatever else got thrown in there. You might know the story of the first track, "Right Off", where John McLaughlin was riffing around with the band and Miles ran in and played one of his best solos ever. Not to mention later on Herbie Hancock popped in with a bag of groceries and Miles forced him to play the malfunctioning Farfisa organ in the room. Having former Stevie Wonder bassist Michael Henderson provides a funkalicious backbone that most jazz bassist couldn't dream of. This album, more than anything, is the epitome of fun. You can just feel the fun they're having as they jam away while crafting a near-perfect album. I also listened to this a million billion times after I got it.
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
I bought this because I liked the cover and my friend said I should get it. There is nothing else like this album. Every single note is perfectly woven together. Wayne Coyne has more emotion in one syllable than most do in the course of an album combined. The amount of psychedelicia is perfect, instead of distracting from the emotion it creates a dreamy soundscape from which the band funnels their emotions right into you. There was a period where this was basically the only thing I could listen to, over and over. And honestly, I still don't know what it's about. I've read it's a parallel to the Iraq war, but I'm not convinced. It's not really important to me anyway, because the music itself sounds like something from beyond the earth.
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
The pinnacle of soul music! Gaye put his immense songwriting and singing talents towards a social protest, and in the process created a musical statement almost unparalleled in his genre. While Marvin Gaye is one of the greatest singers ever, quite a bit of credit should go to bassist James Jamerson (credited as "bass (personified)" in the album notes). One of, if not the, best bassists ever, his godly lines control and compliment the songs perfectly. I know I've used that word a lot, but this time I mean it literally: perfectly. Marvin Gaye and the Funk Brothers combined to make this the magnum opus of soul, and I don't know how it could be better. The fact that Motown owner Berry Gordy initially didn't want to release the eponymous single is one of the biggest musical travesties ever.
Jimi Hendrix - Live At Woodstock
I know this version of the album has tracks out of order, bad mixing, and fake crowd noise. But it was the first real rock album I ever bought. From the opening guitar ferocity of "Fire" (which of course was not the actual opening song) I was blown away. This album helped open the floodgates of my love for music, which since has been a huge part of my life. I probably overrate this album, or at least this version, because of the sentimental value to me, but Jimi is absolutely electric throughout the show.
The Who - Live At Leeds
I think this was the second real rock album I ever bought. Between their amazing tightness, the greatest rock rythm section, bassist, and drummer of all time, awesome vocals, and brilliant songwriting, I think The Who are the greatest rock band ever. Could the Beatles or Stones ever rock this hard for a whole show? I don't think so. Keith Moon's drumming is explosive and the first time a drummer ever stood out to me. Ditto for John Entwistle, the whole show is like one giant bass solo that happens to go perfectly with the rest of the music. This was a tough choice as now I actually kind of prefer Live At The Isle Of Wight because it's both longer and the playing is a little looser. But I don't have the deluxe edition of Leeds which makes up for the first issue, and the latter is less about which is better and more about just being different.
Dangerdoom - The Mouse And The Mask
This might seem like an odd choice. But I would not be listening to any rap/hip-hop if it wasn't for this album, which I first downloaded because of the Adult Swim connection. While those parts are great, the combination of Dangermouse's production and MF Doom's crazy delivery and bizzaro lyrics instantly won me over. I've listened to this album so many times that I can remember some pretty strange lines, but there's just so much amazingness packed in here it's hard for my brain to hold it all in! "Old School" featuring Talib Kweli is one of the tightest rap songs ever.
One more, that I can't really count because I haven't had it long enough or heard it enough times, but still blows me away:
Jimi Hendrix & Otis Redding - Live At The Monterey Pop Festival
Most people know about Jimi's historic performance (and one of his best, the version of "Like A Rolling Stone" is transcendent) at Monterey. But somehow able to match it and possibly surpass was Otis Redding. Backed by Booker T & The MG's, Redding pours his soul out to thousands of unsuspecting hippies, who respond raucously, both awed and whipped into a frezy. Otis Redding is imo the most emotional and talented singer in the history of music. Every time I hear the finale of "Try A Little Tenderness" I get goosebumps all over. People talk about the early deaths of Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, Dolphy, and LaFarro, but who knows what Otis Redding could have accomplished in the What's Going On and Innervisions led era of soul advancement in the 70's.
That's about it, I'd love to see what all you guys come up with!
