[Band's] best album, and why.

[Lonely Summer]

At least 120 days? 2279.4, to be precise.

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.

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.

[KDS]

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.

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. 

[the captain]

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

[phirnis]

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.

[KDS]

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. 

[KDS]

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).

[Rentatris]

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 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.

[KDS]

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 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. 

[the captain]

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 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.

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.

[Sandy Baby]

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

[rn57]

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.

[Lonely Summer]

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.

[Bill30022]

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.

[KDS]

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. 

[JK]

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.

[the captain]

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.

[JK]

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.