The Smiley Smile Message Board

The title says it all: name an album and what you consider their best album, and why. Then others can either riff on that choice, chime in on that same band with a different answer, or move on to a new band.

No Beach Boys-related stuff. They have their own damn thread. And while I'm not going to on this post, if you want to venture off the most obvious bands, please do.

The best album by Queen is A Night at the Opera That's the kind of choice that is almost certainly unpopular, as I've noticed that people in recent years tend to talk up the non-obvious choices. Frankly, I'm convinced that's usually an exercise in either hipsterism or boredom relief.

A Night at the Opera is simply magnificent: Queen at their cartoonish best. From obviously, wonderfully commercial pop ("You're My Best Friend") to the surprisingly commercial ("Bohemian Rhapsody") to longtime concert favorites ("'39") to the over-the-top rockers ("Sweet Lady") to the camp charmers ("Seaside Rendezvous," "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon,"), it's all here. The lack of coherence as we jump from one thing to another without warning makes for what ends up a very memorable album. If I hear one of those songs ending (say, on the radio), I immediately think of how the next song comes in on the album, and am shocked when that's not what the DJ plays.

Also, Queen were fantastic melodists, among the best in pop music history, and they lived up to it here. More than that, they didn't disappoint on the production front, doing even more interesting, layered and textured work than on the previous albums (which were no slouches themselves). Some of it doesn't age well from my perspective (the vocal break in "The Prophet's Song" with its ping-ponging across the spectrum), but things like "Good Company," with the amazing Dixieland-on-guitar, are brilliant.

I really like Queen. A lot. I think they released a hell of a lot of great albums, and probably half a dozen stone classics. But let's never get too caught up in giving the others their due credit if it means passing over their best.

I'll help you out Luther. Been listening to Harrison. Big time.

His best album is All Things Must Pass. This album is almost bursting with great songs. Many of which were either written, turned down or glossed over during the Beatles years. Everything on here is well arranged and performed, even if Spector (the murderin' bastard!) does put a bit of reverb on it. Everything has a strong melody. Everything is well sung.

And there's three freakin' sides of great songs. Everything from the admitted big single "My Sweet Lord" to delicious rockers, "Wah Wah," "What is Life," religious anthems, "Awaiting on You All," a beautiful love song co-written with Dylan, "I'd Have You Anytime," a great, seminal Dylan cover, "If Not For You," to undiscovered gems like "Run of the Mill" or "Apple Scruffs." (Another great thing is that Harrison had loads of gems that didn't make the album. Three of which, "Woman Don't You Cry for Me" (came very close to making the album), "Beautiful Girl" and "See Yourself," ended up on 33 1/3 (one of the unheralded gems of the Harrison catalogue). )

There is also a terrific reissue of this album, with classic Hari liner notes, beautiful sound quality (eliminating some of the Spector over-touches) and the terrific bonus "I Live for You," with 1970 steel guitar and new elements.

This is one album that just keeps on giving.

This is called the best Beatle solo album and while I hold a soft spot for Band on the Run and Plastic Ono Band, it's definitely one of the prime contenders.

WILL DO A LESS CONVENTIONAL ACT SOON

I'm torn between Make It Big by Wham! and Music from the Edge of Heaven.

The first on has a breezy Abba meets motown, summery pop feel, while the other has more of a leather-clad mysogynistic cocaine feel.

Oh, and Still Cruisin' best BB album. THough that was the beginning of the short slide downhill.

Hey I really like what you wrote here. I have a vinyl of the reissue and it's so good (with the bonus cuts and booklets etc.) I don't pull out the original much at all. Even though I don't think his voice was as good as John or Paul's I feel his solo stuff was a lot more consistent then theirs.

i concur. absolutely epic album, even if having Isn't It A Pity twice is a bit overkill. I prefer the first version meself

Shall think of one shortly. Maybe a Flaming Lips/Vu album. i've been overplaying them somewhat......

I never understood what people see in Queen. I never will. Queen was shite.

So, as to the question:

The Byrds' best LP is 'Younger Than Yesterday', despite the presence of the dreadful 'Mind Gardens'. It represents the apex of that band's unique blend of uplifting stuff and beautiful melancholia. The production (Gary Usher) is great. It has their best Dylan cover on it.

Well I will do Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. "Monumental" from 1973 was simply a great rock album. Combining a wide variety of styles, it ranged from a Rogers written rocker about prostitute "Morgana Jones" , to the nostalgic "42nd Street". The later compared the New York of 1973 to the Broadway of the 1930s. As he would do on later hits such as "Coward of the County", Kenny cloaked some mature subject matter with a gentle delivery. The Dr. John inspired medley of "The Hoodooing Of Fannie DuBerry" and "The Ritual", were the LPs centerpiece. Though in tune with other music of the day, "Monumental" was one of their biggest sales failures in the US , but in New Zealand it went gold. Kenny's rocking nursery rhyme "Lena Lookie" went to number one and the group embarked on three New Zealand tours over the next two years. I admit I wrote part of this for a bio I did but it sums up the album pretty well. I also want tosay the playing on here was superb as was the crisp production. Another one to look into is "The Ballad Of Calico" a 2 LP concept album that is more group oriented. It's about a real silver mining town that flourished in the late 1800's.

Is younger than yesterday the one that came out in early 67? If so, I agree.

I'm right there with ya.  I consider All Things Must Pass to be one of THE great albums.

I'll pick an easy one: Odessey and Oracle by the Zombies.  Not only their best album, but one of the best albums of the 60s.

Yes. We got: 'Time Between', 'Renaissance Fair', 'Girl With No Name', 'Have You Seen Her Face', 'My Back Pages', and 'Everybody's Been Burned'.

Exquisite.

It's been a real pleasure to re-listen to his calatouge in the last few weeks--reminded me that while he did write some duffer every now and then--he was very gifted and original as a songwriter...Brainwashed or Cloud Nine would be my second favorite. His two live LPs are also very good.

OK, I have a couple responses to make to previous comments, but not a lot of time to expand on them. Guess they'll have to just simmer for a bit.

1) Harrison's All Things Must Pass: I agree that it's his best ... but in keeping with my oft-stated position, it doesn't warrant its length. (Rare to extinct is the double or triple album that I think wouldn't have been a better piece of work as a single one.)

2) Queen is shite? That's just not true. Not cool. Damnit. I adore Queen in a way I love very few bands. Beatles, Beach Boys, VU, Dylan, Waits ... that's about it. Heartical, it's fisticuffs for us.

Hey TdHabib, I noticed you didn't give mention to Let it Down in your review, what do you think of that tune?

Yeah, that album is definitely their best, I agree with you.

Yeah Luther. There is a problem. Definitely. Let's go outside, cuz' Queen were shite.

I suppose if you don't like bands whose members can write, arrange, sing and play (all with a sense of fun), then they would have to be shite. Perhaps if you're the sort to buy into the myth of "authentic," too.

Cool song, love the horn and string arrangement. Harrison sounds so young...

Nah Luther, I don't think that far about it. It is purely instinctive. I love the BBs, I don't love Queen. Technically they were proficient, good production values, etc. But I don't like Freddie's voice, to start with. I hate heavy guitar solos, they bore me to death.

I tend to agree with you on the guitar solo front (although I loved them when I got into Queen, back in the early 90s). But if I am going to hear them, I'll take a Brian May solo--musical as they are--over a shredder type any day.

But for Freddie, well, that's just going to have to remain a difference. I love his voice. Love it. Love love love it.

I'll go to bat for Brian May.  An expert at orchestrating guitar parts, totally unique sound, and interesting note choice. 

The Shaggs: Philosophy Of The World

(perhaps the most pretentious AND funniest LP title ever...)

Velvet Underground's Loaded. Unfairly maligned as too poppy and not the "real" VU without Cale or Mo. But I love it the most. (Granted, all four original albums and the stuff that made VU are all five-star albums in my book.)

I mainly agree but All Things Must Pass is one of my rare exceptions; along with the White album and a few others.

Even White Album, for me, would've been better as a single LP. I actually proved my point to myself a couple years back, making the album as I'd have liked it best.

But as McCartney said in Anthology, "it's the bloody Beatles, it's the bloody White Album, it's great, shut up." And of course, I know damn well that had it only been a single disc and any of those songs not been used somewhere, we'd be clamoring for them and questioning their exclusion.

For me, what it really comes down to is what an album is supposed to be. If it's just a container for a bunch of songs, then it's irrelevant: you can have a 4-disc set, a 7-disc set, whatever. But if it's a collection of songs intended to be listened to start to finish, then I think doubles and triples miss the mark with me.

Luther, your wisdom always is gripping. Same here. I don't particularly like the format of a 'concept double album'. I had my experiences with 'Tales From Topographic Oceans'. Pretty traumatic, the musicianship was ok, and sometimes they even sounded like the Flaming Lips of the 70s. But, the sheer pretentiousness, and the effort it took to listen to the thing all the way through... I like my song cycles lean and mean.

Speaking of, the Lips are supposed to be releasing a (non-concept) double album of new songs this year--I think this summer.

The Flaming Lips are "wrapping up their brand new album. It might be called Embryonic, according to a Stereogum report. And now Billboard tells us that the late summer release will be the Oklahoma band's first double LP.

"Our past couple of records we've always had this little dilemma, like how many songs do you put on? How many instruments do you put on? What's the focus? And some of my favorite records-- thinking Beatles White Album, Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti and even some of the longer things that the Clash have done-- part of the reason I like them is that they're not focused. They're kind of like a free-for-all and go everywhere." Wayne Coyne told Billboard, before expounding on the record's "freak-out" vibe.

"Song titles include "Convinced of the Hex" and "I Don't Understand Karma"."

http://pitchfork.com/news/35306-the-flaming-lips-to-drop-double-lp/

Hmmm... a double non-concept album by one of my favourite bands... I am in a conundrum, between a rock and a hard place, between Scylla and Charybdis, in a Catch-22 type of situation, etc. What's a man to do in such a precarious position?

Buy it. Listen to it. Judge it (no doubt harshly, as internetters are wont to do).

Thought I'd do another best album and why entry.

Neil Young. Live Rust.

I'll defend this album to my dying day, it reminds me why I love Neil Young. Simply put, Neil goes through 16 classics and near classics and there is nary a stone unturned, and everything rules. This is also the perfect showcase for both sides of Neil; he does an acoustic and electric set. The acoustic set features a beautiful "Sugar Mountain" and a real good "After the Gold Rush." The electric set is blistering, unpolished and just the best showcase for Neil's songwriting and guitar ability. "Cortez" is more efficent, with keen harmonies and thundering guitar attacks; "Like a Hurricane" nearly blows down the place and "When You Dance" is transformed from a minor highlight to a real corker of a rocker. Finally, he ends it with two personal statements: rock and roll will never die, and a tribute to Bruce Berry ("Tonight's the Night"). I love it.

"Christmas On Mars" came perilously close to turning me into an ex-Flaming Lips fan.  Excruciating.  Am hoping they redeem themselves with this new album.

I'm going to ignore the Queen slurs as they're my favourite band (just ahead of the BBs), and Queen are a divisive band indeed, anyway I know this thread is about a bands best album and Luthers choice of NATO is close to the mark, but i'm going to go for Queen II which is certainly my favourite and the one which I have given to people if I want them to get into Queen. Though it is not as diverse as their later releases it is a brilliant album of unique arrangements and unbeatable songwriting. Brian May writes side 1 (with the exception of 1 song) and 'Father to Son' may be one of his finest moments, there is real emotion in the layerings of the guitars and in Freddies voice (my favourite bit being when all the instruments disappear and Freddie sings 'A word in your ear' and a little bit of piano comes in and then it goes into an amazing wall of sound), there is a definite Wilsonian influence on the backing vocals throughout this song too and also guitarwise there are elements of the Who and Sabbath.
However all this is taken over by side 2s pop-prog masterpiece written by Freddie and still my favourite ever side of popular music - 'Ogre Battle' (weird heavy metal), 'Fairy fellers master stroke' (harpsichord led craziness), 'Nevermore' (beautiful ballad) and 'March of the Black Queen' -  my favourite Queen song, it defies explanation, some may think it nonsens but I think it genius. After that the much maligned 'Funny how love is' which is the closest that Queen ever came to Spector/Beach Boys (at the same time they did a cover of 'I can hear music'), and all topped off with 'Seven seas of Rhye'.

I think Queen II is the greatest album of all time.... ;D

I love Queen II, too--you know I do. But I wouldn't use it to sell someone on Queen. In fact, I think it would be near the bottom of the list for that purpose, because I think all the sort of Tolkienish lyrics would turn off most people who aren't 13-year-old nerdy boys. (That's when I got into it, by the way. And yes, that was me all right, listening to Queen II or Zeppelin IV on my way to a friend's house to play some Middle Earth Role Playing [MERP, that is].)

Side I never did it for me, though. Side II is really especially wonderful, however.

For years I thought The Doors (the album) was the band's best LP. But, now I actually think L.A. Woman might be their best. The Doors (the album) defined the group's vision - lyrically and musically - and it's hard to match a lineup that included "Light My Fire", "The Crystal Ship", "Break On Through", and "The End". But I think L.A. Woman did. I'll put "Love Her Madly", "L.A. Woman", and "Riders On The Storm" right up there. And you still have "The Changelling", "Been Down So Long", "The W.A.S.P.", and "Hyacinth House" to boot.

I think Ray, Robby, & John were peaking as a band in 1970-71. I certainly think they rocked harder - both in concert and on record. The Doors sounds almost under-recorded next to L.A. Woman, maybe due to the addition of Marc Benno and the exit of Paul Rothschild. And, of course, you have two different Jim Morrisons. The Doors featured the psychedelic, dream-like, young lion poet, as opposed to the slightly raspy, beer-drinking, bluesman on L.A. Woman. It's hard to choose between the two; I love 'em both!

For its day, The Doors was a long album, but I believe L.A. Woman clocks in at about 45 minutes; that's a lot of music. There's many different styles on L.A. Woman; the band was really stretching out. I've heard the late 1970 Dallas concert (Morrison's 2nd last show), and the band played some songs from L.A. Woman - the sound is frightening, in a cool way. I wish Morrison would've hung around long enough to tour the album. 

You know I don't really consider myself a Doors fan these days, but I'd agree with you: LA Woman is the album I'd listen to.

That said, The Doors is a remarkable debut. To me, it's one of the rare fully-formed debuts in history.

That recent documentary, Classic Albums: The Doors, certainly shows that.

It's hard to choose a better Doors album than their debut, but I think they (the producers of the documentary) chose The Doors because there was more video footage available to compliment the featured songs. There's very little footage available of the L.A. Woman material.   

I didn't realize there was a C.A. series DVD of that. Or if I did, I forgot (which happens). I think I may seek that out. I'm a sucker for that series, and that would be an interesting one.

If I was offering it to people for pop music then maybe not, but a lot of my friends are into rock/prog (for some reason!) so this seems to work. I first heard it when I was 8 and it was amazing then, of course when I was 13 I got into the 'swords and shields' area of rock music - Zeppelin, Sabbath, Rainbow and particularly good and hugely underrated - 'Music from the elder' by Kiss!

The Ramones: 'Leave Home'. It always was a close run with 'End Of The Century' for me, but LH just does it. The production is the sharpest in their work (Rocket To Russia is muffled, compared to it), and EOTC has killer songs too, but also a few duds. LH is a perfect unity. 'Oh Oh, I Love Her So': magnificent. 'I Remember You': ditto.

I think I've told you this before, but when I was big into my KISS phase (ages 13-17, roughly) I LOVED that album. Wasn't ever THE favorite (that'd be Love Gun, probably), but it was up there. I never understood why it was panned. To me, it was everything you'd want. Hmm, actually...

KISS: Love Gun.

(There probably are some among you who may think KISS don't count. Just kid stuff for adolescent boys. Well, to you: f*** off. It's true. And that's what's great (or was great) about KISS. Adolescent boys need rock 'n' roll fantasies, damnit.)

This, somehow more than the more celebrated Destroyer, really, really just hit the spot. "I Stole Your Love" is great, although admittedly better in the hyperactive live versions a guy can come across. Christine Sixteen is the sleeziest of Gene Simmons, which is frankly what everyone wants and needs from Gene Simmons. Shock Me is among Ace's best. Hooligan is a cool Criss tune. Tomorrow and Tonight is, to me, an underrated pop tune. The title track is, well ... Love Gun. Almost Human and Plaster Caster remind you that Gene Simmons is Gene Simmons. And it fucking ends with And Then She Kissed Me! Eddie Kramer's production is good, pretty straight ahead (again, as opposed to Destroyer) but miles ahead of the earliest studio albums.

Love Gun wants--no, Love Gun deserves--your vote.

And don't forget the infamous "Carbona Not Glue", my favorite song on the album. I bought The Ramones Leave Home the day it was released; it's always been in my Top 3 Ramones albums. I'm just not ready to rank it over their debut album. Maybe next week.... ;)

Probably their best studio album, I agree.  I always thought that the Kiss Alive! albums were far more rockin than their studio stuff though.  God Of Thunder from Alive II may be Gene's single finest moment.  :smokin   

You know my FAVORITE is Road to Ruin, but the best is most likely the debut or Leave Home. Can be debated.

Hah! Good call... I do have RTR in bright yellow vinyl. Nice thing.

I am performing a resurrection here as I just listened to this LP while going for a brisk (though very hot, over 90 here) jog and thought I should write about it:

Talking Heads best album is Remain in Light

Here the light experiment of African pop/polyrhytms of "I Zimbra" is completely, fully and utterly explored; perhaps this is the best experimental album of all time. Also, it is perhaps the only album of theirs to rightfully be called (in some circles) an Eno/Talking Heads album, as he is fully integrated here and shows of his mastery of production to amazing effect. This is one of the very best, most original produced records of all time.

No, to get this off my chest, I see very little positive in "Seen and Not Seen," but almost everything else is a favorite of mine in some way. From the fractured grooves of "Born Under Punches," with it's unforgettable Eno sung refrain; to the delicate African pop of "Listening Wind" (in my heart); to the lament of growing old/preacher parody "Once in a Lifetime" (one of the all-time great productions); to my absolute favorite, the thundering, unrelenting and groove-filled "Great Curve."

It's an album it took me awhile to enjoy but is nonetheless one of my deepest, most experimental and headiest records of all time. Sorry for the terrible pun.

I think I'm gonna do another one of these tomorrow, let's see a few others from other posters!

Velvet Underground's Loaded. Unfairly maligned as too poppy and not the "real" VU without Cale or Mo. But I love it the most. (Granted, all four original albums and the stuff that made VU are all five-star albums in my book.) Yeah, so many of their fans act like the first two albums were the only ones that mattered. For me I think the best Velvets album is the self titled third. I like the soft and laid back yet still eerie and mysterious vibe of the album as a whole and I also think it has the group's best song, Pale Blue Eyes.

The White Album I mostly like just fine, all I would change would be the fourth side. I'd swap Revolution 1 and 9 for the take 20 version of Revolution that combines the best parts of Revolution 1 and 9, Honey Pie for Lady Madonna or the unreleased Goodbye, Savoy Truffle for Not Guilty and Goodnight for Across the Universe of which there were already three accpetable versions that could have been used, the one on Anthology 2 (my favorite,) the one used for the wildlife fund charity album and the unreleased one that starts with John saying "You're right Richie."

I think Quadrophenia is the best Who studio album overall, you get the conceptualism of Tommy and the production values of Who's Next all in one place and some really underrated Who songs like Sea and Sand, Punk and the Godfather, I'm One, Drowned and Love Reign Over Me.

For a long time the third VU album was my favorite of theirs, too. The switch to Loaded might be as much need for a change of aural scenery as anything, because like I said, I do think all of their albums are absolutely wonderful. And I'm with you on Pale Blue Eyes. Magnificent. Same with I'm Beginning to See the Light. And really, Candy Says is one of my favorite songs ever, too. Maybe I'm changing my own mind back to that one.

Best Beatles album: Please Please Me!!

It's got the trademark Beatles sound, and a lot of catchy song to boot! Perfect for both rock and roll and pop fans...and it has one of the self-indulgent, "pretentious", elements that would show up in their later work. (Though I do like a lot of that "pretentious" stuff!!)

I am a big fan of the first album too for it along with the BBC release are the closest we have to a Beatles live at the Cavern album. There's some really good covers on the first album, like Anna, Chains and especially Twist and Shout. Original song wise I think the best tracks are I Saw Her Standing There, the title track and There's a Place which I think is a pretty underrated Beatles song.

THere's a Place is great, as is Please Please Me. Somehow, Please Please Me(the song)--did they ever try any harder than on that one?
Anyway, I can support Please Please Me (the album) as Beatles Best. I like Beatles for Sale, too. Underrated.

Lovely call, cheers for that!

Can I say that I find Joy Division overrated? Yes, I can.

...although I do own all their stuff...

Joy Division overrated?  I don't really feel that way, but I will agree that Joy Division get a lot of attention these days.  I know, music snobbish at it's worst, but it bothers me when I see run of the mill indie kids walking around in JD shirts or Fall Out Boy "Love Will Tear Us Apart" shirts thinking that they wrote it!  I think I'm too biased to say they are overrated, but the whole Factory Music scene produced so many great records and is largely overlooked that it bothers me.  Anyway!

I want to tackle The Who in this post however.  What an odd band really, they stumbled over themselves the first few years but managed to produce so many classic songs.  While I can agree that The Who Sell Out, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia are all great albums Tommy is their best in my opinion.  It's a tough choice really, but Tommy has the right blend of hit songs and strong album tracks for me.  Tommy, what a brilliant album!  There are so many strong songs, The Acid Queen, Sensation, We're Not Gonna Take It, Pinball Wizard, etc.  However, the shinning moment for me is See Me, Feel Me which is probably my favorite piece of music ever.  I feel that Tommy shows The Who at their most expressive and balanced.  There is a sense of power without resorting to hard rock.  It's also got a great story!

Part of the reason I love Tommy so much may be because of how I feel about The Who's other career heights.  The Who Sell Out was marred by it's weaker tracks and gimmicky idea- I love it but I call it for what i).  Who's Next lacks the feeling of an album for me and almost sounds like that classic A-Side B-Side album, even though most of the B-sides are great.  If Pure And Easy made the album instead of This Song Is Over I might have felt better about it.  Quadrophenia could never be my favorite because it feels like a second take at Tommy with the macho posing of Who's Next but without the melodic sense. 

Of course we all know Live At Leeds is their best "album" overall.   ;)

OK, you do have a point. I don't know if you own 'Wanna Buy A Bridge', a US Factory compilation LP. Don't think it ever surfaced on CD, by the way. In my view it is one of the best samplers of all time, in any genre. The whole is much more than the sum of its parts, and the parts are already wonderful. It runs from The Slits to Robert Wyatt via the TV Personalities and Scritti Politti. Look for it in the 2nd hand bins, or seek it on Ebay.

I'd have to rummage through my Factory Record collection my Dad left me, but I know I have FACTUS 17 Young, Popular, And Sexy - which is great.   Scritti Politti, haha, yes, brilliant.  Factory was great, I love how they put out so many one off singles and albums.

I think it's easy to overlook the importance Joy Division had on the Manchester and overall 80s music scene.  I would even argue that Manchester was the center of progressive and exciting music in 80s England, and Factory had some of the top acts.  U2 also owe Joy Division a huge debt, or at least New Order.  On a side note I'm glad they didn't put their singles on their albums, it spared Closer from being that album that had Love Will Tear Us Apart on it. 

I don't think anyone said which Joy Division album was the best yet did they?  I think it depends on which one you heard first, or connect with first really.  I grew up listening to both but Closer was the first one I owned on CD so I value it more.  If anything, Closer is the superior album because of it's experimentation, sonic landscapes, complicated melodies, and vocal style.  Song for song I would say Unknown Pleasures is my favorite album, but Closer is just a very powerful album.  It's about more than the individual songs.

That is a great call. Did you see the movie on Factory, '24h Party People'? Mainly about the rise and fall of the Hacienda Club. Superb: designer Peter Savile comes up with such an expensive sleeve design for the 12" version of 'Blue Monday' that it becomes a loss leader... and also the Happy Mondays trip to the Bahamas is legendary, they drop their bottles with methadone at the airport...

Next one: The Jesus And Mary Chain's 'Psychocandy'. Easy one. It defines the group and has their greatest music, not a duff track. 'Just Like Honey' made it onto the OST for 'Lost In Translation'. Nice.

Thanks.  Yes I have it's a pretty good movie, certainly better than Control.  Factory has so many great tales, who knows what's true and what's not- but I love that.  I'm going to see Happy Mondays in October actually, it's a dream come true.

I agree about Jesus and The Mary Chain, if only because without them we wouldn't have The Stone Roses we know and love.  You can't overlook that album and the influence it's had, great choice.

Cheers. The fun thing about 'Psychocandy' is its 'loudness'... even if you can barely hear it, it is incredibly LOUD, like a hoover gone mad or something. Didn't the JAMC record a BBs song at one point?

Haha, they definitely were ahead of the game with the loud mastering.  Yeah, they covered Surfin' USA on their Darklands EP.

Speaking of Jesus and The Mary Chain and the Lost in Translation soundtrack, how about My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless," an obvious choice. A cohesive, unique and gorgeous album. There's nothing really that sounds like it, even all the other "shoegaze" bands sound top 40 in comparison.

I saw them play live on their 2008 comeback tour--unbelievably loud. The security were handing out earplugs--a couple folks shook there heads and said no thanks. The security guards literally forced the earplugs into their hands anyway. And with good reason. During a 15 minutes juggernaut of feedback at the end of the show, as the music quieted down I thought I was safe and took out an earplug only to have my ear blown out by the volume. I couldn't hear clearly for about 4 days. Altogether an amazing show though.

Thanks for the hint. I'll go seek out 'Loveless' then.

On a serious note: yes, concerts may be unbearable. I made a personal point of leaving shows which exceed safety limits. That started with my first, and thankfully last too loud gig, which was done by Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, and Rockpile. After that single one, I said to myself: it's not worth it. Next time, you'll leave, may be already halfway through the first song. Which I did numerous times, e.g. a John Hiatt solo gig (really!).

Nowadays I hear stories. About tinnitus, and the mental problems it may cause. Or even deafness. Worst case: a guy committing suicide because he could not stand those sounds plaguing him 24/7. He never slept anymore.

Yes!  -- LA Woman!

It's funny because, wasn't it considered their laziest, least inspired or something?  Maybe not...but when you think of the Doors, it's the first few albums that really define them -- The Doors, Strange Days, Waiting for the Sun -- and LA Woman was or is considered their fat and final, down in the dumps, Jim's dead and dying album.  But to me -- it's now the only Doors album that doesn't sound "trapped" or cliche "Doors."

It holds up as an album -- not just a Doors album -- if that makes any sense!  :p

It was recorded with a much different vibe -- unique from all the other albums.  They were kind of finished as a band. No more Paul Rothchild producing -- who left in frustration...believing they were done.  So Bruce Botnick, the band's engineer, basically said "ok...I'll do it."  And they went up to this cozy little studio -- with zippy stress or pressure, with a twelve pack and some smokes (I would assume!) -- to just jam and sing.  It's just great! 

So it's the only album where we get to see them as a band...and not the mystical LSD "lizard-king" band -- just a f-cking band.  They tear it up.  And then, of course...Jim dies.  :-\  So this is a very special album.  The only one where we get to hear them as they would have continued in the future.

As a result, it has aged differently - and better - than the others.  There's no forcefulness or pressure or manufactured, psychedelic, leather-pants, mind-expanding intensity, demanded of the listener.  It's just a great relaxing, chill, zone out masterpiece.  Definitely their best!  It's the one I reach for...and play all the way through...and wish there were more of -- when I really want to hear what this band was all about.

Oh,...what a GREAT album.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/The_Doors_-_L.A._Woman.jpg)

Yep, my thoughts exactly. Special AND frustrating at the same time...

Sheriff, are really Jim Morrison, as your avatar suggests?....

I am the Lizard King
I can post anything
I can make the earth stop in its tracks
I made the blue cars go away

THE best album for my money is "What's Goin On" by Marvin Gaye!

It's just the perfect example of an album as a complete thought. It's perfectly played, written and sung. Plus the whole thing really is just one long song without even feeling like it. The fact that Marivn was reaching out so strongly for spiritual assurance and harmony, and ultimatly lost (as did we all), makes the album all the more affecting.

BEST example of an album as a work of art, in my humble opinion.

It is a superb album, agreed. A few seconds into the title song, you know that you're in the presence of greatness. As is the case with Pet Sounds.

Beck:  Sea Change

Greatest Album because:  "Well it's all in your mind...it's all in your mind."  Those are the opening words to a song of the same title, set to one of the most desperate, resigned and lonesome melodies ever made.  "Because, I want it to be your good friend," he finishes.  It's also one of the most sad, broken up -- and at the same time beautiful albums I've ever heard.

(http://www.knownjohnson.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/mfbeckseachange.jpg)

Among the very best.  If I may...


Marvin Gaye:  What's Going On.

Best Album because:  Sad with pride.  Gloomy with a stride.  And Marvin right on time.  Even the cover art knew what to do.  And where to be.  "Only love can conquer hate..."  Are you kidding me?  Delivering lines that good, you better have some serious devotion to the notion you put in motion.  God is Love.  Marvin delivers.

(http://www.musictap.net/Graphics/Cover%20Art/Review%20Covers/2009/April/MarvinGayeWhatsGoingOnSACD.jpg)

At least 120 days? 2279.4, to be precise. ;D

I've always been intrigued by debut albums. Unlike their successors they have an open end, so to speak. They may have been gestating in some form (or several forms) for years before being committed to wax. So I'll pick a favourite album by a band that happens to be their debut: Santana.

I agree Queen was $#!t, I guess people love them because Mercury died young. Nothing is better for becoming an rock god than to die prematurely.
Also agree about Younger Than Yesterday, although I am constantly amazed at how strong their first album was. And as good as their versions of Dylan songs were, it's the Gene Clark songs that really knock me out.

I love Queen, but I had similar feelings toward Nirvana when Cobain died.

In both cases it doesn't explain why they were wildly popular during the deceased's lives, though.

Totally, that's what I base my musical tastes on - if their lead singer lived past 50, then I ain't listening to that sh*t.

Good choice. I heard about this album for years before I finally bought a copy for myself. It lived up to the hype.

Debut albums sometimes are the best, case in point: Chuck Berry's After School Session. It's gotta be his most varied offering, it's got blues (Wee Wee Hours, Deep Feeling), pop songs (Drifting Heart, Together We'll Always Be), the sparse vocal/guitar Havana Moon, the secular spiritual Downbound Train, I really can't think of any other Berry album that covers so much musical ground.

I know I'm in the vast minority, but I think Queen's best album is their second, Queen II. 

This is still a raw version of the band.  At times, almost as heavy as Sabbath or Purple.  But, you still get the amazing harmony vocals.  The March of the Black Queen paved the way for Bohemian Rhapsody.  Seven Seas of Rhye shows the pop sensibility that Queen would have on later tracks like Killer Queen and Bicycle Race. 

White Queen is one of the best ballads Queen ever wrote.  Father to Son is as over the top as anything Queen ever did.  This Queen is heavy, yet melodic.  Over the top, but focused.  As much as I love Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera, and A Day at the Races, for my money Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John never sounded better than they did on Queen II. 

This is also Queen long before dance music would seem into their work, and water it down somewhat in the early 80s. 

QII was my favorite once upon a time. "Fairy Feller's..." Is brilliant, playful. Agree on "White Queen" and "March," too. (Less on FtS."

Going through a bit of a Pink Floyd phase right now and while Piper will probably forever be their finest work to me, Animals is always a close second. Even after years of listening the grand finale of Dogs is still utterly breathtaking.

Animals is one of my favorites because it doesn't have any songs that have been spoiled by radio. 

However, my favorite from Floyd would be Wish You Were Here.  David Gilmour and Rick Wright have some of their finest moments on the bookended Shine On You Crazy Diamond. 

While I love the Roger Waters dominated albums of Animals, The Wall, and The Final Cut, Wish You Were Here was the last Floyd album with significant contributions from Waters, Gilmour, and Wright. 

I'm going with one of my favorite all time bands, The Who.

To me, Quadrophenia, is their finest album.  I think it's got more power than Tommy, and better overall songs.  I also think it flows a little better as an album than Who's Next (which was originally a concept album called Lifehouse). 

If you want classic power chord Who, you've got The Real Me, The Punk and the Godfather, I've Had Enough, and 5.15.  An epic Dr. Jimmy. 

You also get some introspective stuff like I'm One, Sea and Sand, and Love Reign O'er Me. 

Plus, the two instrumentals on here are amazing - Quadrophenia and The Rock, even if they are basically different arrangements of the same song.

My only real complaint is that there are no contributions from John Entwistle, songwriting wise anyway.  His bass and brass work are very prominent. 

IMO, Quadrophenia is also the last great album by The Who.  They released two more decent ones before Keith died (By Numbers and Who Are You).  Two subpar ones after Keith died (Face Dance and It's Hard).  And one much better than expected one after John died (Endless Wire).

 I was about to join in this thread. I thought I'd read the first post so I understood the topic and boom. You've said exactly what I would've said (except you are more eloquent). This is the undoubted best album from one of my favourite bands.

Hat. Tipped.

A Night at the Opera is an awesome album, even though I picked Queen II. 

To me, you really can't go wrong with any of Queen's first five albums. 

Thanks, Rentatris, I appreciate the kind words.

Funny part: while I've been participating in this thread the past few days, I had no idea whatsoever that I started it. Not the slightest recollection. Then again, it was 2009.  Even so. Wow, I'm losing it.

Leo Kottke.
Hard to pick one album, but I guess it's "Greenhouse."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_(Leo_Kottke_album)

Many tender and lovely songs.  
Delicate "Owls":   https://youtu.be/5jpCnl-aDJA

When I saw the thread's title, I thought this pertained to the best album by one particular band.

As in, The Band.

Since nobody's gotten around to talking about them yet, I'll start by saying that for me it's almost a tossup between Music From Big Pink and the second album - but I think I'll go with Big Pink because I just like that laid-back sound of it quite a bit.

Nobody's mentioned Randy Newman yet.  His first album is still my personal fave but all in all I guess Sail Away's his best record.

I thought the same thing, and would agree with the choice of "The Band" - the second album. But my second favorite album of theirs is "Northern Lights Southern Cross". Some of the best songs they ever did - Acadian Driftwood, It Makes No Difference, Ophelia, Forbidden Fruit.

Bruce Springsteen - "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle"

There is a funky looseness and jazzy feel to the Album that I love.

Also, I prefer David Sancious to Roy Bittan.

I'm going to go with a Rock and Roll HOF candidate, Deep Purple. 

Deep Purple had a string of classic albums in the 1970s with In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head, and Burn. 

While it's insanely difficult to pick one of those, I'm probably going to go with the obvious choice here with Machine Head. 

I think the production and songwriting are just a tad tigher than on the raw In Rock or the underrated Fireball albums. 

Great opener with one of the great driving songs ever - Highway Star.

Purple get a little funky next with Maybe I'm a Leo. 

Pictures of Home might be the most underrated straight forward rocker in Deep Purple's catalog.   

Pictures of Home might've been a standout track on any other Purple album that came after.

Smoke on the Water is overplayed, sure, but with a riff like that, it's no wonder.  I think the riff sometimes underplays the fact that this is such a great overall track. 

Lazy is probably the loosest track on the album.  Great intro from the late, great Jon Lord.  He and Ritchie Blackmore (IMO the greatest guitarist who ever lived) tear it up. 

Space Trunkin is just pure fun. 

****Also worth mentioning is the mellow B-Side When a Blind Man Cries.  This just shows the roll that Deep Purple was on in the early 70s that Black Night, Strange Kind of Woman, and When a Blind Man Cries never made it on to an LP. 

U2 hasn't been mentioned yet. I love most of their albums (and like the rest) but the one that really does it for me is Achtung Baby.

Is it their best album? Why do I like it the most? Your guess is as good as mine. :hat

I know it has been the Official Position of Coolness ("OPoC," not to be confused with "OPC," which is Old People Candy) for well over a decade now to dislike U2, whether for dislike for Bono's ... well, for Bono, or for lack of imagination in new material, or whatever, but I actually think they had a great run from the mid-80s through early to mid '90s. I'd still say The Joshua Tree is their best album, but The Unforgettable Fire through Achtung Baby was a really good run.

Agreed. If you ignore Rattle and Hum (which has good things on it but is something of a stopgap to these ears) you've got another of those "classic trilogies" everyone's talking about. :smokin