What's your favorite album by...

[Guest swan]

Faith No More-"Angel Dust" (IMO, one of the most unrated/overlooked records of the last 15-20 years)

Metallica-"Ride The Lighting"

Naplam Death-"Scum"

Rush-2112

Ozzy-"Dairy of a Madman"

Iced Earth - The Dark Saga

Aerosmith-Toys in the Attic

megadeth-Peace Sells.....

Anthrax-State of Euphoria

Mr.Bungle-Mr.Bungle

Sepeltura-Arise

[Guest swan]

Faith No More-"Angel Dust" (IMO, one of the most unrated/

That would be underated.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Fuck, Paul's Boutique is so far ahead of every Beasties album ever made. Way before it's time and truly revolutionary. While Check Your Head will fade from people's memories within the next ten years, Paul's Boutique will be talked about as one of the greatest albums EVER!

 

Paul's Boutique is without a doubt way ahead of its time in terms of production and sampling.  The influence is there, without a doubt, and the stuff these guys were doing with the Dust Brothers back in 1989 is still way ahead of a lot of today's rap (and music in general, really) in terms of wit, style, and sonic layers.

 

However, I stand by the claim that Check Your Head is the better album.

 

The rhymes on Paul's Boutique are catchy, but in my eyes probably the weakest of the Beasties' five proper studio albums.  Check Your Head is the raw-est, and I see it as having a sort of purity of intensity that the albums that came before and after lacked.  The album is an amazing panacea; on Check Your Head, they rock, rap, and transform into one of the most alluring jam-bands of the decade.  It comes at the mid-point of their careers musically, and it catches all of their different styles and progressions at exactly the right point.  The fact that "So Whatcha Want," "In Threes," "Something's Got to Give," and "Stand Together" co-exist on the same album and don't seem out of place for a second still blows my mind.

 

That being said, Paul's Boutique is definitely my second-favorite Beasties' album.  I adore it, but it's really a one-trick pony, as amazing and fantastic as that pony is.  The samples are nothing short of fantastic (turning "The End" into the backer for "Sounds of Science"?  Damn, that's smart), but they are, in fact, just that for the whole album: samples, synthed music, impeccable production, and so on throughout.  Without a doubt it's probably the best example of that I can think of, but Check Your Head is the more progressive work, the more diverse piece.

 

Thoughts?

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Pixies: 'Doolittle' is my favourite of theirs, i just love about every song on it. I'm probably about the only person who likes 'Bossonova' as much as 'Surfer Rosa' as well but 'Dooloittle' beats both.

 

No, I'm with you on that.  I hadn't actually been into Bossanova until a few weeks ago, when I picked up and slapped it in the discman for the first time in about a year.

 

Either my tastes changed, or I never gave the album a fair shot because it didn't sound like Rosa or Doolittle, but damn, that is wonderful stuff.

 

Doolittle is perfection, and Rosa and Bossanova are just about there.  I'm eternally grateful that the group put out three albums that are so good, yet so different AND similar all at the same time.  There's no doubt it's the Pixies, but the change in style is great, especially considering the fact that they popped these three off in what, 2 and a half years?

 

I still have issues with Trompe Le Monde, because it's just not as good as the previous three LPs.  I think most of my dissatisfaction stems from the utter lack of Kim Deal vocals--the whole male/female dynamic of the Pixies is core to what gives them their tense, wicked feel.  Maybe, though, I'll pop that in the CD player in another few months and have a Bossanova epiphany all over again...

[Guest Kinetic]

I'd say Trompe Le Monde is extremely underrated.  It's not as consistently brilliant as their first two albums, but I'd definitely place it above Bossanova.  The best song on that one is "Velouria," which comes so early in the album that everything seems like a let-down after that.  So...

 

Dolittle > Surfer Rosa > Trompe Le Monde > Bossanova

 

And I've only listened to the Come On Pilgrim EP once or twice, so it's impossible to rate.

 

I have little fondness for White Light/White Heat, while I consider Velvet Undergound and Nico to be almost flawless.  Definitely their best album.  

 

Talking Heads- I'm leaning towards '77 at this point.

 

R.E.M.-

Automatic for the People, but I don't consider myself an expert on them.

[Guest]

Velvet Undergound's The Velvet Underground

Outkast's Aquemini

Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation

They Might Be Giants' Lincoln

PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

Tom Waits' Swordfishtrombones

 

For one reason or another, those are the ones that have popped into my mind at the moment.

[Guest Kinetic]

PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

I know this is all based on opinion, but I couldn't disagree with you any more if you said I looked like Anthony Michael Hall.  Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is a pretty weak PJ Harvey album.  It just doesn't compare favorably to the awesomeness that is Rid of Me and To Bring You My Love.  If I had to choose a favorite, I'd say the latter of the two I mentioned.

[Guest Kinetic]

Also:  Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and Wilco's Summerteeth.

[Guest]

Here we go,

 

AC/DC - Highway to Hell - They're just not the same without Bon.

 

Black Flag - Damaged. Just pure Rollins goodness.

 

The Clash - London Calling is one of the few British punk records to not date appallingly, and gives a splendid ska-style template.

 

Rancid - And Out come the Wolves - Possibly the finest pure punk/ska album in 15-20 years, simply stunning.

 

REM - I'm still really into what they did on the first album, but New Adventures in HiFi just edges it.

 

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream IMO is on of the few perfect records around- complete abscence of duff trackage.

[Guest]

(sorry posted too soon), anyhoo,

 

Alice in Chains - Facelift.

The Descendents- Milo goes to college.

Everclear - Sparkle and Fade.

Led Zepplin - IV.

Nirvana - Favorite has to be Incesticide, followed by Unplugged.

Pearl Jam - Ten

Tage Against The machine - The eponymous debut just steals it from Battle of LA

Rolling Stones - Tie between Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street, along with Let It Bleed, a smashing trilogy that no band has bettered, with the possible exception of Weezer.

Soundgarden - Bad Motor Finger

Sleater Kinney - The Hot Rock

Weezer  - Pinkerton,but Maladroit promises to improve.

[Guest mw679]

Hmmm,

 

AC/DC- Powerage. Totally overlooked gem of an album. The bluesiest, down and dirty Bon era album...

 

G N R- Appetite for Destruction- One of the greatest rock debut albums ever. A Classic.

 

Dr. Dre- The Chronic- Changed the rap scene with this one.

 

RATM- Love their S/T album. It came out in 1992(I think) and no one cared. It was overlooked until 1996, when the music scene was a little more tolerant of the whole rap/rock thing. Awesome album.

 

Led Zeppelin- toss up between I and II. I love them both, but having to choose? I'd go with "I" just for "How Many More Times" what a killer closer on a fantastic album.

 

Aerosmith- Again the S/T album is my fave. Their debut album is filled with great tunes, "Mama Kin", "Dream On", "Moving Out"...Such a shame to see where they have ended up. It's great to see them still together and playing music, but I kinda wish they'd get back to what took them to the top the first time= Rock and Roll...

 

Black Crowes- Shake your Money Maker- I don't know what it is with debut albums, but they always seem to have the best songs top to bottom. This one is no different, although I love Southern Harmony...This one is the Crowes at their most rockin' from their cover of "Hard to Handle" to "Stare it Cold" to "She talks to Angels" it's definitely one of the best from the 1990's.

 

King's X- Dogman- I'm a big fan of them and this is their heaviest album to date. A lot of anger behind this one. They really put together something special here that they haven't quite put together since. Maybe it was just the time(1994) when grunge and heavy, down trodden music was the norm, but this one is great to crank up when I'm pissed off at something.

 

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll beck back with more...

[Guest]

I always prefered Dirty to Daydream Nation.  One of the best post-punk albums to go mainstream in the early 90's.  

 

Everything ATDI puts out is amazing IMO, but nothing even compares to in-Casino-out.  This CD has the most variety out of any of their CDs, and is the most epic.  Has powerful anger, ballads that move you, and songs that are just fun to listen to.

 

I haven't heard every Beatles album, but I like Sgt. Pepper the most just because of its simplicity and catchiness, and you can tell they were on acid the entire album.

 

VoiVod- Dimension Hatross.  While most of people prefer Nothingface, I always thought this was their best album. Great concept album.

 

Other stuff:

AIC- Jar Of Flies

Thursday- Waiting

Korn- S/T

Beck- Odelay

Adam Sandler- What the Hell Happened to me?

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

Radiohead - The Bends : Still their most direct and emotionally powerful album.

 

Pumpkins - Siamese Dream : Has Today on, so is their best album immediatly

 

Elvis Costello - All This Useless Beauty : I kinda feel wrong choosing this, as they were mostly songs meant for other people, but that album soundtracked a weird and crappy time for me, so thats my excuse. My Aim Is True and Blood & Chocolate close second and third.

[Guest Kinetic]

A few more:  

 

Beck- Mutations

Bjork- Post

Replacements- Tim

[Guest]

I know this is all based on opinion, but I couldn't disagree with you any more if you said I looked like Anthony Michael Hall.  Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is a pretty weak PJ Harvey album.  It just doesn't compare favorably to the awesomeness that is Rid of Me and To Bring You My Love.  If I had to choose a favorite, I'd say the latter of the two I mentioned.

 

To further the rift, I don't even like early PJ Harvey.

[Guest]

Some more albums...

 

Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

The Roots' Things Fall Apart

Basehead's Play With Toys

[Guest Anorak]

Wilco: I've got to go with 'Being There' here, although being as tight as i am i still haven't got their new album.

 

Beck: Definately agreed on 'Mutations', i thought when it came out that it may in retrospect be seen as his best work despite it being invisioned as more of a low-key album.

 

Glad to see someone agrees with me on both Pavement and The Replacements. Also agreed on 'Aquimini' for Outkast.

 

Soungarden: I play 'Badmotorfinger' more than 'Superunknown' so i've got to go with that, 'Jesus Christ Pose' and 'Mind Riot' are great songs, 'Somewhere' is a real lost gem on that album as well.

 

Bad Religion: I love the 'All Ages' compolation they put out of the Epitah years but as far as proper albums go i'd go with 'No Control' just edging out 'Suffer'.

 

Green Day: Hard one this.... 'Dookie' probably. 'Kerplunk' and 'Nimrod' are almost as good in their own way, the former is especially enjoyable.

 

Uncle Tupelo: It may be a bit bleak but 'March 16-20 1992' is  an amazing album, it should be recognised as one of the best modern examples of traditional American folk and country music although The breakneck guitar sound and ramshackle nature of their first two albums gave way to let their folk influences come to the fore (the whole album is accoustic). Nearly half of the album is made up of traditional covers and their own songs easily match their takes on songs like 'Moonshiner'.

 

Eels: 'Electro-Shock Blues'. One of the most underated albums of the 90's. Amazing that such a depressing 'concept themed' style album(check out the song titles!) can ultimately be defiantley uplifting by its end.

 

Kyuss: 'Blues for the Red Sun'. The guitar sound is still very distinctive and the tone of the music keeps shifting to avoid the boringly repetitive metal sound. Heavy music with a real groove.

 

Teenage Fanclub: Grand Prix

Ron Sexsmith: Ron Sexsmith

Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

 

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: Barafundle. Sort of the transition record between the more eccentric/daft style of their earlier stuff and the slightly more singalong pop style of their last couple of albums. Sounds like a very whimsical medievil/modern day concept album but without being pretentious.

 

Neil Casal: 'Basement Dreams' is easily the best thing i've heard him do. His other albums almost verge on easy listening at times and have too many bland songs. Someone as talented as him should be putting out more exiting music instead of deathly dull stuff. His first album, 'Fade away Diamond Time' is meant to be very good as well apparantly, anyone got a copy?

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Green Day: Hard one this.... 'Dookie' probably. 'Kerplunk' and 'Nimrod' are almost as good in their own way, the former is especially enjoyable.

 

See now, it's an easy call for me.  Warning, without a doubt.  It's just about the best power-pop-punk album I've heard in eons, immensely addictive.  I doubt it would be possible without the previous albums, but I think it's the peak.

 

Funny how I remember singing along to "Basket Case" when I was something like 10 or 11, and now 8 years later I'm still singing the band's praises for totally different reasons.

[Guest]

my favorite dylan album would be 'blood on the tracks,' barely nudging out 'blonde on blonde.'  i think the overall quality of the lyrics in 'blood on the tracks' is better, and it's easily dylan's best set of vocal performances on record.

Agreed, more or less.  I just think Blonde on Blonde has a few songs that put it completely over the top.  In terms of a cohesive album, musically and thematically, I'd give the nod to John Wesley Harding, but it just doesn't have many of the absolutely superb moments that other Dylan albums have.  

 

my favorite nirvana album is 'in utero.'  in my opinion, it just blows 'nevermind' out of the water, it has a sound that is so much more dark and raw.  'nevermind' always sounded too slick & poppy for me.  cobain's songwriting was catchy enough on its own, & steve albini took the sound & fucked it up (in a good way).  'in utero,' to me, is alternative music.

 

Definitely.  In Utero is the superior album on all counts.  

 

Agreed with Pinkerton being Weezer's best album.  It should remain that way, too, as I don't foresee Rivers doing anything that interesting again when he can record horrible albums like that last one and go platinum.

 

And because everyone expects it, I'd have to say that while This Year's Model is Elvis Costello's best album, Get Happy! is probably my favorite.  There's a distinction to be made between the two.

Dude just because the songs were a little poppish doesnt mean it was bad. Every Weezer cd has a different theme. I found it preety great with songs like "Hashpipe" and "Island In The Sun".

[Guest ant_7000]

Mine is:

 

Outkast: Aqumeni, Southernplayasticcadilacmuisk, and Stankonia.

 

2pac: Me against the World, Makaveli, and All eyez on me

 

Wu tang: 36 Chambers and Wu tang forever

 

Roots: When things fall apart

 

Crucial Conflict: Tha Final Tic

 

Biggie Smalls: Ready to Die and Life After Death

[Guest fouronthefloor77]

Bob Dylan-Highway 61 revisited  Dylans first electric album,I find it funny that everybody thought Dylan "sold out" when he abandoned folk and went out to make better albums,kinda reminds me of the Metallica drones that are still complaining about them selling out,It's been five years get over it already!    

Johnny Cash-The American recordings  Cash and a guitar what more do you need?

Uncle Tupelo- Still Feel gone

Son Volt- Trace

Wilco-Being there

Nirvana-Unplugged in New York

Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream

Alice in Chains-Dirt

Pearl Jam-Ten

Weezer-Blue album

[Guest godthedog]

I agree with a lot of the other statements on this thread, so I'll throw out a new one: Check Your Head is the best Beasties album, bar none.  Their most versatile, with many of their best rhymes, but most importantly, a total control and freshness from the introduction of live instrumentation, and really no filler on the whole album.

time and again it's been proven to me that every true beastie boys fan holds 'paul's boutique' as their favorite.  god i love that album.

I'll also say that Boys for Pele is Tori Amos' best album, but I don't get the impression that many people here are big Tori fans anyhoo.  Go masculinity!

fear not, i'm a tori amos nut.  'under the pink' is probably technically a better album, but i love the sound of 'pele' too much.  it took a LONG time for me to get used to, but the flow of the whole thing is just so organic.  i write to 'pele' all the damn time.

 

i think 'the pod' is ween's best album.  the hardest to listen to, but insanely inventive.  one of my favorite albums of the 90s.

 

and this cannot be disputed: the best box set EVER is the velvet underground's 'peel slowly and see.'  it included all the original studio material, lou reed's original mix of the grey album, and a plethora of extra tracks.  GOOD extra tracks.  especially the extras on 'loaded': 'satellite of love,' 'ocean,' and 'ride into the sun' are 3 of my favorite velvets songs ever.  it does have its share of crappy extra tracks, but the amount is pretty minimal.  the booklet is the most detailed i've ever seen, and is a very good read on its own.  and the cover has a peelable banana on it!  how can you top that?

[Guest Kinetic]

and this cannot be disputed: the best box set EVER is the velvet underground's 'peel slowly and see.'  it included all the original studio material, lou reed's original mix of the grey album, and a plethora of extra tracks.  GOOD extra tracks.  especially the extras on 'loaded': 'satellite of love,' 'ocean,' and 'ride into the sun' are 3 of my favorite velvets songs ever.  it does have its share of crappy extra tracks, but the amount is pretty minimal.  the booklet is the most detailed i've ever seen, and is a very good read on its own.  and the cover has a peelable banana on it!  how can you top that?

Hell yes.  I really think that version of "Satellite of Love" is better than the one on Transformer, too.  My favorite bonus tracks are the Nico ones at the end of Velvet Underground and Nico.  Tremendous stuff.  I'd definitely suggest that box set to anyone interested in discovering the Velvet Underground.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Just some that come to the top of my head, I listed a few albums by the same artist that's just too hard to pick one...they're in order starting at my favorite

 

Door...Morrison Hotel...Waiting for the Sun...The Doors

 

Lagwagon...Hoss

 

REM...Murmur---Reckoning---Automatic

 

Costello...My Aim is True---This Year's Model---Get Happy

 

Vandals...Hitler Bad, Vandals Good

 

Warren Zevon...Excitable Boy---The Envoy

[Guest goodhelmet]

"Bob Dylan-Highway 61 revisited  Dylans first electric album,I find it funny that everybody thought Dylan "sold out" when he abandoned folk and went out to make better albums,kinda reminds me of the Metallica drones that are still complaining about them selling out,It's been five years get over it already! "

 

OK, the only problem with this assessment is while Dylan did go on and make better music by expanding his sound (I was the first poster here to mention the album), Metallica's music has just sucked shit for the last three albums or so. I don't care if they started playing MOR, but if the songs were good then I have no complaints. Unfortunately, their lack of creativity and the blandness of their sound is unforgivable. But Highway61 Revisited ROCKS!!!!

[Guest godthedog]

some other random stuff:

 

'abbey road' is my favorite album ever, by anyone (which makes it my favorite beatles album, duh).  not a weak link on the damn thing, all 47+ minutes are brilliant.  every song on the first side stands up to their best work, & the second side...wow.  i always get a lump in my throat when the 'you never give me your money' riff is reprised during 'carry that weight'.  more than anything i've ever heard, THAT is the album to listen to from beginning to end.

 

on a side rant, i really fucking hate it when people listen to their CDs on random or just download select songs from albums, especially beatles albums.  the beatles put the tracks in that order for a reason, listen to the damn thing like that.

 

sarah mclachlan generally sucks, but i'll always love her only because of 'fumbling towards ecstasy'.  the sound is so fluid you could float away on it.  it isn't too poppy (like her later stuff), & it definitely isn't rock, it's just her own distinct, ethereal sound.  'hold on' used to make me cry every time i heard it, and i still get chills when i hear the last 2 tracks on the album.

[Guest Kinetic]

These are the rest where I can pinpoint a clear favorite:

 

Built to Spill- There's Nothing Wrong With Love

Blur- 13

The Clash- London Calling

Nick Drake- Pink Moon

Elliot Smith- Either/Or

The Smiths- The Queen is Dead

Belle and Sebastian- If You're Feeling Sinister

Liz Phair- Exile in Guyville

Sleater-Kinney- All Hands on the Bad One

[Guest]

Built to Spill- There's Nothing Wrong With Love

 

That's the only BtS album I don't like. It's too unfocused. My pick for their best would be Keep it like a Secret.

 

More Favorites:

Lou Reed - (tie)Coney Island Baby and New York

Death Cab for Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes

Fishbone - Truth and Soul

[Guest]

My favorite Metallica album is probably Master of Puppets, but at a close second is Ride the Lightning.

 

Favorite G n' R album has got to be Use your Illusion II with Appetite for Destruction bringing up the rear.

[Guest evenflowDDT]

Green Day: Hard one this.... 'Dookie' probably. 'Kerplunk' and 'Nimrod' are almost as good in their own way, the former is especially enjoyable.

 

See now, it's an easy call for me.  Warning, without a doubt.  It's just about the best power-pop-punk album I've heard in eons, immensely addictive.  I doubt it would be possible without the previous albums, but I think it's the peak.

 

Funny how I remember singing along to "Basket Case" when I was something like 10 or 11, and now 8 years later I'm still singing the band's praises for totally different reasons.

Ahhh... finally, an artist I know well enough to comment on! I've been a huge Green Day fan for years, and although my interest in them is slowly waning, they're still my favorite band right now.  My favorite album of theirs is probably Nimrod, because it has so much variety to it - ballads, parodies of bad-ass metal/punk, and even a surf instrumental.  Their early material is certainly also their best, though I actually like 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours ever so slightly more than Kerplunk.

 

As for Warning, I agree that it's good to see that the band can mature further without sucking, but it's only got a couple of really really great songs on it, and some of the songs I even skip over.  I liken it to Insomniac, a (semi-forced?) change of pace, where what works well works really well but everything else is either just OK or better off skipping.