The last truly great album...

[Guest godthedog]

ok, in my opinion (and i've talked to a lot of people that agree with me) music has been going way downhill since the early-mid 90s.  there is some good music out there, but no great music.  so i was wondering, what do you guys think was the last truly great, knock-your-ass-to-the-floor, classic album to come out?

 

i'll probably get roasted for this, but i think the last one was 'the mollusk' by ween, back in 97.  perfect blend between their 2 strengths, their sense of humor & writing really really good catchy songs.  the whole ocean theme ties it all together nicely, & the succession of tracks just makes me feel like i'm listening to a great album.

 

before that, i'd have to go all the way back to 'unplugged in new york' in 94.

 

other opinions?

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Eeeeesh.  Nothing's immediately coming to mind as far as post-Nirvana goes, but lemme roll through anything that pops into my head...

 

Tool - AEnima

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

Radiohead - Kid A / OK Computer

Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Metallica - S&M

nine inch nails - the downward spiral

 

I'm sure a lot of people would put down Pinkerton from Weezer, but I can't vouch, since I haven't heard it.  Otherwise, I think those could be considered some "classic" albums down the road.

[Guest goodhelmet]

there have been four cds that I listen to the ENTIRE things since about '96. only 4.

 

Weezer- Pinkerton (mini-masterpiece)

Pearl Jam- Yield (my favorite PJ album EVER)

Wyclef Jean -The Carnival (Fuck it, I love this album)

Dr. Dre -Chronic 2000 (I love this one too. I'm drawn to it somehow)

[Guest Kinetic]

The last truly fantastic album to be released, in my opinion, is Radiohead's OK Computer.  Great albums come out every year, but that was the last one that'll be spoken of with complete reverence in twenty years.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Well If your talking GREAT albums the last truly great album was Nevermind by Nirvana.

 

but then I'm a little biased.

[Guest Kinetic]

Well If your talking GREAT albums the last truly great album was Nevermind by Nirvana.

 

but then I'm a little biased.

I'd even consider In Utero a great album.  I'm on the fence about Unplugged, but if you caught me in a really generous mood I might consider that great.    You need to be a bit more generous, though, Cobainwasmurdered.  I'd hate to think that the last great album really WAS released eleven years ago.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

ok.  In Utero was the last great album.

[Guest ArkhamGlobe]

I'll have to agree with OK Computer.

 

I'd also add "Ladies and Gentlemen We're Floating in Space" by Spiritualized.

 

I'm tempted to say "Citizen Bird" by a swedish band called Silverbullitt (I believe they call themselves Citizen Bird in the US) but, it was only released last year, and I'll have and see how it holds up after more than six months first. But that was pretty much the only new album of the last few years to have me throwing around words like masterpiece, apart from the first two.

[Guest godthedog]

i know i'm alone in this opinion, but i always thought that 'in utero' was tons better than 'nevermind'.  i think 'nevermind' has the breakthrough thing going for it, but 'in utero' has a darker, more raw overall sound.  it's funnier, the lyrics are more twisted & i just thing the songs are generally better.  to me, it's been like 'sgt pepper' overshadowing 'revolver' because of everything it did for the music business, when 'revolver' was the better album.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

i know i'm alone in this opinion, but i always thought that 'in utero' was tons better than 'nevermind'.  i think 'nevermind' has the breakthrough thing going for it, but 'in utero' has a darker, more raw overall sound.  it's funnier, the lyrics are more twisted & i just thing the songs are generally better.  to me, it's been like 'sgt pepper' overshadowing 'revolver' because of everything it did for the music business, when 'revolver' was the better album.

Don't quite agree with the Beatles reference, but I can't agree more with what you mean about In Utero - such a solid album, up and down, and I just see it being an album that picks up more speed later on down the road.

 

And I'd second Wyclef Jean's "The Carnival" - also a really damn good album that's indicative of the talent that he is.

[Guest redbaron51]

Man there has been a lot of great albums that came out in the past ten years.

 

Tool: Ænima

Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream

Metallica: Load (waits to be flamed)

Dream Theater: Awake

Rage Against the Machine: Battle of Los Angeles

 

Those are just some though

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

i know i'm alone in this opinion, but i always thought that 'in utero' was tons better than 'nevermind'.  i think 'nevermind' has the breakthrough thing going for it, but 'in utero' has a darker, more raw overall sound.  it's funnier, the lyrics are more twisted & i just thing the songs are generally better.  to me, it's been like 'sgt pepper' overshadowing 'revolver' because of everything it did for the music business, when 'revolver' was the better album.

Don't quite agree with the Beatles reference, but I can't agree more with what you mean about In Utero - such a solid album, up and down, and I just see it being an album that picks up more speed later on down the road.

 

And I'd second Wyclef Jean's "The Carnival" - also a really damn good album that's indicative of the talent that he is.

I love both albums, they both offer sonething unique. that's why I liked Nirvana they were unique and you could really connect with the music.

 

I could never say which is their best album though.

[Guest Narcoleptic Jumper]

Third Eye Blind's self-titled album.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Metallica: Load (waits to be flamed)

Er, no flaming necessary.  Just realize that you may be one of three people on this planet that think it was that worth anything.

 

And the same goes for Third Eye Blind's album too...though I guess I shouldn't expect total objectivity from a guy named "Narcolectic Jumper", now should I?

 

[Guest Kinetic]

I'd have to throw in The Flaming Lips' Soft Bulletin, too.  Such a gorgeous album, with nary a bad song.  That came out in '99, so it's more recent than OK Computer.  But, then, Kid A is a great album in its own right, so that's got it beat.  In other words, I don't know.

[Guest Matt]

I guess I should let it be known that while not epic, "Load" seemed a good album to me ever since I first heard it. I can understand die hard metalheads spitting on it but with a group of people whose tastes seem rather eclectic, I dont know why it is hated so fervently. I mean look at it:

 

"Aint My Bitch"- Not much of a lyrically moving masterpiece but I love it as a hard hitting cd opener.

 

"2x4"-like the above but somewhat less sweet after hearing is predecessor.

 

"The House That Jack Built"- definite mood change there. very dark by comparision but great and i dig the lyrics also.

 

"Until it sleeps"-hmmm much like before (is there a pattern to be forged) and while more commercially successfull seems to be lacking enough instrumental composition.

 

"King Nothing"- Good track. Not really much else I can or will say.

 

"Hero of the day"-Even friends I have that despise Metallica (though they know not why) like this song. Slower still not alt-rock in the nine days, Everclear sense of the term.

 

"Bleeding Me"- Probably the second best track on the cd, I like Metallica epics. songs that run for over 6 minutes, cause with tallica it never seems like they are that long.

 

"Cure"- Good transition track to the next two.

 

"Poor Twisted Me"-If i skip any song on the entire cd, its probably this one doesnt grab me, plus I can never wait to get to...

 

"Waste My Hate"- I love this song. Just the far and away opening chorus followed by the heavy riff. I dunno this always struck me as a song that would kick ass live.

 

"Mama Said"- I dunno everyone's position on this song but I like it a lot. Of Metallica, James Hetfield is by far the most integral piece of the puzzle and seems the most geniune. This is kind of stripped down Hetfield to me.

 

"Thorn Within"- Like King Nothing just a nice pace keeping track.

 

"Ronnie"- I dunno, being a Pearl Jam fan, this just isn't Jeremy. Jeremy had something more sinister. This isn't a rip off or anything, and its not bad. It just is...

 

"Outlaw Torn"- Best track of the cd. One of Metallicas Top Ten. An arguement can be made that the S&M version has something more, but the studio track is great. Once again another tallica epic and the ultimate blowoff to a cd.

 

So that's just me standing up for Metallica fans who get hounded for liking anything after MOP.

 

so redbaron if there are only three people who like it we're two of em.

 

As for the last GREAT cd. I dunno if Yield does it, i think "Given to Fly"'s resemblance to "Going to California" might be the only thing that makes it fall short. So I'll play it safe and say that "Superunknown" by Soundgarden was probably the last flawless cd in terms of beginning to end likeability.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

I really like the thick middle section of Load, from "Until it Sleeps" to "Bleeding Me", but the rest really just seemed like garbage to me, major filler that I definitely wasn't exactly used to seeing from Metallica.

[Guest goodhelmet]

"I'd have to throw in The Flaming Lips' Soft Bulletin, too.  Such a gorgeous album, with nary a bad song."

 

I firmly believe "Transmissions from the Satellite Heart" is a much better album and really the only listenable Flaming Lips album from beginning to end.

 

 

"it's funnier, the lyrics are more twisted & i just thing the songs are generally better.  to me, it's been like 'sgt pepper' overshadowing 'revolver' because of everything it did for the music business, when 'revolver' was the better album."

 

I completely agree. While I love Sgt. Pepper, Revolver doesn't sound as dated and stuck in the 60's. Revolver has truly transcended time.

 

"As for the last GREAT cd. I dunno if Yield does it, i think "Given to Fly"'s resemblance to "Going to California" might be the only thing that makes it fall short. "

 

Have to disagree here. "Given to Fly" is perfectly acceptable Pearl jam while songs like "Faithfull" and "In Hiding" are classics waiting to happen. I just don't see a weak spot in the entire album. One of the few albums I don't have to hit the ffwd button

 

Am I only one who isn't really into the newer Radiohead stuff? I just feel Pablo Honey and the Bends were so much more enjoyable. OK Computer and Kid A are fine but it seems artificial and experimental for the sake of sounding experimental.

[Guest]

Grace - Jeff Buckley

Essence - Lucinda Williams

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

Unearth-Stings of Conscience

10 years from now this album will be viewed in the underground metal community as a landmark classic.  An album that finally completely blured the all lines between American Hardcore and European Death Metal.  And from what I've seen in tons of unsigned metal and hardcore bands, Unearth is usually listed as a major influence which is remarkable considering the album isn't even a year old.

[Guest saturnmark4life]

I know it's a love or hate situation, but i think Lateralus by Tool is the last truly great album i heard.

[Guest Mark4steamboat]

I know it's a love or hate situation, but i think Lateralus by Tool is the last truly great album i heard.

Lateralus isnt bad. the song Lateralus is good and no. 8 Ticks and Leeches rocks too but compared to Aenima, it is shit. Aenima was the best album to come  out in the last 6 years with Ok Computer by Radiohead following that.

[Guest JerryDrake]

Stillmatic - Nas.

[Guest]

favorite albums in the last 10 years:

 

Doggystyle- Snoop Dogg.  I always liked this more than The Chronic, even though both are amazing.

 

Aenima- Tool.  No explanation needed.

 

In/Casino/Out- ATDI.  IMO their best album.

 

Full Collapse- Thursday.  This will be looked as a masterpiece in the future.

[Guest thevertex]

The sad thing is that generations from now, they'll look at stuff like Hybrid Theory, Weathered, Chocolate Starfish etc.... and only remember our generation for them.

 

I'd have to go with Appetite for Destruction, Nevermind, Siamese Dream, MCIS from Smashing Pumpkins, and OK Computer as the only ones that really hit that lofty standard recently. There were a lot of really good ones of course, but no ***** ones like those.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Last truly MIND-FUCKINGLY-GREAT album was Dream Theater's Scenes From A Memory . Conception albums are dying, and this is the epitome of what a conception album should be. Prog rock, prog metal, whatever you want to call them, it doesn't fucking matter. Excellent is easily the best word to describe the group. 'Nuff said.

[Guest JerryDrake]

If you mean last mindblowing one, well i dont listen to rockish stuff, so bear with me.

 

I'll problay have to say Illmatic - Nas.

[Guest LooseCannon]

There was a wave of great albums that came out in the mid 90s, such as:

 

Nirvana -- Nevermind/In Utero

Tool -- Aenima

Beck -- Odelay

Radiohead -- Ok Computer

NIN -- Downward Spiral

Greenday -- Dookie

etc...

 

There are great albums coming out now too, there just not as high profile.  I think Clinic's albums are a good example of  the last great albums to come out, but they can't be compared to the ones above, because they don't have nearly the same impact.

[Guest redbaron51]

Last truly MIND-FUCKINGLY-GREAT album was Dream Theater's Scenes From A Memory . Conception albums are dying, and this is the epitome of what a conception album should be. Prog rock, prog metal, whatever you want to call them, it doesn't fucking matter. Excellent is easily the best word to describe the group. 'Nuff said.

I don't have Scenes from a Memory, plan to buy it one day though. I have Images and Words, which is another truly excellent album, Awake and Scenes from New York

[Guest Anorak]

Several really great albums are released every single year. People spend to long namechecking the same old albums when there is a whole load of equally great stuff out there which deserves equal recognition. (Nice to see someone mention Lucinda Williams)

 

I'll just list a few records from the past couple of years as going back even further would take all day.

 

Lambchop: Nixon

Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs

Kingsbury Manx: Kingsbury Manx

Outkast: Stankonia

Mos Def: Black on Both sides

Smog: Dongs of Sevotion

Joe Henry: Scar

Heavy Blinkers: Heavy Blinkers

Johnny Dowd: Wrong side of Memphis

Wilco: Summerteeth

Low: Things we lost in the fire

Roots Manuva: Run Come Save Me

 

Maybe none of these albums will be referred to as seminal releases in twenty years but i honestly think there's loads of truly great music about right now. A lot of music tends to get rediscovered later on down the line.