5_moves_of_doom 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 I'm a huge fan of double-albums, and typically, they can often sum up an artist entirely within the span of just two albums. Prince's "Sign 'O' the Times," for instance, captures probably everything that he ever wanted to do as an artist. Anyhow, I was just wondering what everyone here's favorite double-albums were... and perhaps I'll stumble over one that I've never even heard of. All discussion regarding double-albums is also welcome... perhaps there's a double-album that you just really, really hate, or one that you're meaning to get into? Either way, here's my list... 1.) The Clash -- London Calling -- I am a gigantic fucking Clash fan, and though this isn't nearly as punk as their first (or even second) album, it's their best, in my opinion. I've never since seen a band make such a quantum leap from just a simple punk rock band to something... so much more. It doesn't beat out my second choice by all that much, but I can definitely call this my favorite double album without a doubt in my mind. 2.) Prince -- Sign 'O' the Times -- Not too much I can say here. It's just brilliant. This particular double-album is a complete mess and doesn't seem like it would have any flow at all, and yet it all comes together perfectly, with every track seeming like one piece in the album's puzzle while being completely and utterly different from every other track. Prince is a musical genius, and while I prefer Purple Rain, this is probably his most outstanding and most epic accomplishment. 3.)The Beatles -- The Beatles [The White Album] -- It's always confused me why this album doesn't get all that much love. In my opinion (and I'm completely aware that this is a very, very bold statement,) this is the Beatles' best work, and yet most people I know regard it as a testament to the fact that the Beatles could have just throw a bunch of random sprawling shit into an album, and it would still sell millions. Maybe it's because of a few throwaway tracks like "Wild Honey Pie" and the noise-epic "Revolution Nine"? Even so, I think the rest of the album, from the rockin' "Helter Skelter" to the acoustic ballad "Blackbird" to the fun, bouncy little diddy in "Piggies," makes up for it. With a vengeance. Despite this being a bit sprawling, I won't hesitate to call it a masterpiece, and the Beatles' best (though my favorite Beatles' album changes about once a week, so eh.) The Beatles and their most experimental and their most brilliant. Anyhow, those're mine... what're yours? It's hard to pick a top three, as I'm way into Zen Arcade and Exile on Main St. as well. I've also been meaning to pick up that Sonic Youth one... Daydream Nation, I think, as I've never really given Sonic Youth a chance despite them apparently being just like a bunch of other bands that I love. One double-album that I consider a dissapointment would have to be Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti... not that I'm denying it's genius song-by-song... it just doesn't flow at all, and doesn't quite click with me like the first five Zeppelin albums. It's still really good and everything, though... just not their best ever, which I've heard it called several times. But yeah, your thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Dubya 04 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Allman Brothers Band - Live at Fillmore East. In my opinion this is the definitive live album and double album. Duane Allman shows on this album why he should be forever included anytime anyone mentions the greatest guitar players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Dubya 04 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Allman Brothers Band - Live at Fillmore East. In my opinion this is the definitive live album and double album. Duane Allman shows on this album why he should be forever included anytime anyone mentions the greatest guitar players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ripper 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Bigge - Life After Death - I still don't have to skip through a single track on these albums, which is pretty amazing for an album almost 8 years old. Bone Thugs N Harmony - Art of War - Sue me...I loved this double album. I was a big Bone fan back in the day (before Bizzy sobered up and became a R&B singer) and I still listen to this album. Nothing they have done since can hold up to this. Prince - any one of his double(or triple) albums - Crystal Ball, Sign O The Times...any of them. I am a HUGE Prince fan (to the tune of 300+ bucks for a ticket to his concert at Phillips Arena next month) and I love all his stuff. So when I can get 2-3 albums worth....can't beat that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BAR Report post Posted March 23, 2004 The Wall - Pink Floyd. Sure, the majority of the songs on their own don't really do much but as a story it's amazing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Brian Report post Posted March 23, 2004 I second the Beatles and the Clash. Add on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B. Brian Brunzell 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Brunzell's Top Three: Ummagumma- Pink Floyd: While I love The Wall, I'm a bigger fan of The Floyd's Barrett and post-Barrett experimental stage. This album has it all, from the classically nfluenced "Sysyphus" to the down right fucking weirdness of "Several Small Species of Furry Anmals gathered Together in a cave and Grooving with a Pict." The live album is great as well, with awesome versions of "Careful with that Axe, Eugene", "Astronomy Domine" and "A Sacuerful of Secrets." London Calling- The Clash: Like said before, it's not so Punk-ish as their debut and Give 'Em Enough Rope, but that's perfectly ok. The lyrics are brilliant, the music is more global, and it's the last album that The Clash were a real cohesive unit, and it shows. This album is perfect in every way, filled with political songs like "London Calling" to more ballad types like "The Card Trick" to an easily listenable radio hit in "Train in Vain." Easily, hands down, bar none--this is the best Punk album ever. Exile on Main Street- The Rolling Stones: This album, I've always felt, summed up everything The Stones were about in the late 60s and early 70s. Listening to it makes me want to go out to some dive bar, drink whiskey, snort coke of some strange womans tits, and take her back home and fuck her brains out. It's so raw, so drug and alchohol fueled, and it's just dirty. Plus, and this is just me having the maturity level of a 7 year old, is there a better song title than "Turd on the Run?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 I'd have to say... Miles Davis - Bitches Brew I don't know what to say about it. I'm sure you already know. Prince - Sign O' The Times Already discussed well enough. Prince is my musical hero. 2Pac - All Eyez On Me Maybe not as epic as some others, and maybe not every track is a classic, but the whole thug life gangster rap thing is snugly encapsulated into one sprawling masterpiece (and I would call it a masterpiece). Plus this is just my top three, and I could listen to this all day. I almost said 69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields (a triple, I guess that's ok), but I couldn't take off any of the three I said. It is great though. Probably well known around here, but a lot of people aren't familiar with it, so if you haven't heard it, you should. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edwin MacPhisto 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Quote 5_Moves choices exactly for me. Or maybe swap out London Calling for Exile on Main Street. That's the toughest choice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Nothing to add, really, but more love should be shown to Hüsker Dü's Zen Arcade than a simple aside. It's rather cliche to call something "the White Album of insert genre here," but Zen Arcade was a mammoth of a record (23 songs in 70 minutes) that did tear down the constrictive rules of hardcore music. Loud, aggressive guitars and throaty screaming could have a pretty, melodic side. And, going even further, a fine triple album is the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs. It's fantastic, though I'll be damned if I ever listen to all three discs consecutively. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spiny norman 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I don't like Exile From Main Street. In my opinion The Stones had become pretty hit and miss by this stage. In fact, by about 1974 I think they just stopped hit and missing and just began missing. Anyway, my top three double albums: The Beatles - The White Album. Revolution 9 is awesome. Anyone who says otherwise is a drongo. Prince - Sign O The Times. Bloody awesome also. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I love Funeral For A Friend, and the album never really lets down (much). It's truly a bloody awesome and overlooked album. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 And, going even further, a fine triple album is the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs. It's fantastic, though I'll be damned if I ever listen to all three discs consecutively. I knew you would like it. That kind of music always makes me think of Pokemon now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZGangsta 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 One double-album that I consider a dissapointment would have to be Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti... not that I'm denying it's genius song-by-song... it just doesn't flow at all, and doesn't quite click with me like the first five Zeppelin albums. I'd tend to agree with this. I think firt "disc" is absolutly awesome song by song, but doesn't really flow, and the second seems thrown together. The album was composed of outtakes from the Houses of the Holy sessions and new stuff, so that might explain a bit. It's all worth it just for "Trampled Underfoot" though. God I love that song Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 The Who: Quadrophinia. Unbelievable album, highly under-rated, and it showed some of The Who best work. Prince: Sign O The Times The Clash: London Calling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edwin MacPhisto 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 And of course, let's not forget Sandinista! Exclamation point is the album's, not mine. Yikes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Adrian 3:16 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 2Pac- All Eyez On Me Wu-Tang Clan- Wu-Tang Forever Biggie- Life After Death- probably the most consistent of the 3, but the best tracks aren't as good as the best tracks on the other 2 IMO Honorable mention to Diplomats- Diplomatic Immunity (wack, but funny lyrics over hot beats) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5_moves_of_doom 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 And of course, let's not forget Sandinista! Exclamation point is the album's, not mine. Yikes. You know, after finally hearing most of the songs on the album, I really can't understand the Sandista! hate now. I can understand how it's not very *loved*... but all of the people who just seem to despise it confuse me. "Magnificent Seven" and "Police On My Back" are both great, and while the album isn't too consistant (would any triple-album be?) there's plenty of other gems on there too... and hey, it's the Clash! I suppose that the hate really just comes from comparing the album to most of the other stuff that the Clash did. Oh, and Kurt Cobain didn't like the album, so he must be right! Then again, he didn't like the band period, so... well, suck it Cobain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted March 24, 2004 1. Frank Zappa-Joe's Garage. One half groovin' regular Zappa cd, one half jamming virtuoso Zappa cd. The Central Scrutinizer is annoying as hell, but he's supposed to be. 2. Pink Floyd-Ummagumma. Another half n half deal, incorporating all kinds of wild instrumentation. I hear something new on this album every time I listen to it. 3. Slayer-Decade of Aggression. A dandy metal landmark, encompassing all of their 80's and early 90's stuff, all live and raw, the way it sounds best. Love the whole thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
godthedog 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 1. the white album, the beatles (more or less the 'ulysses' of popular music: a statement and summation of everything that has come before it, climaxing with an attempt to take it into the future; similarly, it works precisely BECAUSE its individual parts are so different and don't seem to belong together) 2. electric ladyland, jimi hendrix (not as all-encompassing, but way more unified) 3. the pod, ween* (which manages to be all-encompassing AND unified, in a really weird way) that was way too easy. all these are also in my top 5 all-time favorites. *not QUITE sure if this one should count. although it has the same epic length (70+ minutes) as so many great double albums of the past ('electric ladyland', 'blonde on blonde', etc.), but it can also be fit on to a single cd. and unlike the past double albums, which were originally released on two LPs, 'the pod' was released on a single cd to start with. so i don't know if the list should only include albums that can only fit on 2 cd's (disqualifying 'london calling', 'electric ladyland', etc), or if it should include anything that can't fit on a single lp (which opens up the floodgates for any album that lasts over an hour). but 'the pod' definitely has the FEEL of a double album, reaching for everything they can think of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B. Brian Brunzell 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 It's all worth it just for "Trampled Underfoot" though. God I love that song "The Rover" > "Trampled Underfoot" I think that "Trampled Underfoot" is a great song, but it's been played soooooo much on classic rock radio over the years that right now, I just can't listen to it. "The Rover", however, is rarely played, thus possibly elevating it in my eyes. Bonham's drums in the beginning of the song just pull me in every time, and I think that Paige's best solo is in "The Rover." When he slowed things down, Paige could really grab you and make you enjoy one of his solos. When he sped things up though, it was nothing more than pure SLOP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Coffey Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Pink Floyd ~ The Wall The Doors Greatest Hits Rush 2112? I can't remember the name of the double.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I find it a bit strange that it's one of your favorites, but you don't know the name of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SamoaRowe 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by Smashing Pumpkins. I've loved it since it first came out. "The Wall" by Pink Floyd. This is another one that has been with me for a while (obviously). Besides that... meh. "SpeakerBoxx/The Love Below" from Outkast is good too, though I don't care much for the Speakerboxx half. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest krazykat72 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 SP: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Bob Dylan: Blond on Blonde The Beatles: The Beatles Paul Jacobi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted March 25, 2004 3. the pod, ween* (which manages to be all-encompassing AND unified, in a really weird way) I just got this cd a couple of weeks ago, and it's already probably among my all-time favorites. "Molly" might have my favorite vocals ever. There's no possible way they can ever be duplicated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jack_Bauer 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinate Sadness Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anorak 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 Couple more good ones. Bruce Springsteen - The River Wilco - Being There Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
godthedog 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 3. the pod, ween* (which manages to be all-encompassing AND unified, in a really weird way) I just got this cd a couple of weeks ago, and it's already probably among my all-time favorites. "Molly" might have my favorite vocals ever. There's no possible way they can ever be duplicated. that track is fucking scary. the whole vibe of it is just creepy, and when you think it ends you breathe a sigh of relief and then it comes on again and you're all "aaaaugh" and then the music stops again and you're all "sigh of relief, it's over" and then it starts up AGAIN and you're all "mommy, hold me." my quintessential memory of that album is when i was in atlanta driving a friend home at 4 in the morning (we were downtown & she lived in stone mountain, so it's about an 80-minute drive round trip) with it on the speakers. i was pretty hyped up on caffeine, not a soul on the road, and it was really starting to fuck with my sense of reality. it was like listening to "heroin" on an endless loop, & i just kept drifting. i could barely hold a conversation with the girl, and by the time i got to "she fucks me" i wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted March 25, 2004 Similar experience, different drug. The day I bought it, I got ripped tore on the drive home while listening to it, and I started laughing uncontrollably during the very first track. That ended somewhere around Pollo Asado, and my buddy in the passenger seat got me going again when he fucking lost it after we were remarking how cool Demon Sweat was when Molly kicked in. I got a wacky fun vibe from that song rather than creepy. Clunky, twangy bass (I think it's a bass), and the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah oh ah oh eh ah OOOOOOOH vocals... That whole disc kicks my ass. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
