Desert Island Draft Thread

[Ravenbomb 0]

If my turn is not lost:

 

Like Safe as Milk, I can listen to it all the way through without skipping several times in a relatively small frame of time. It doesn't have the freshness Safe as Milk does for me, but The Wall has my favorite song ever in "Comfortably Numb," and also some somewhat overlooked Floyd songs like Nobody Home and Vera Lynn. There's also the fact that it a) tells a story and b) is long, two things I'd want on a desert island.

[Guest Michael Myers Resplendent]

Oh, I'm just gonna jump in on this whenever I feel like it. Participating in contests I'm ineligible for is part of becoming a postmodern poster.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Hey Commish, I need a ruling: does a tribute album count as a compilation?

 

Yes.

 

Oh, I'm just gonna jump in on this whenever I feel like it. Participating in contests I'm ineligible for is part of becoming a postmodern poster.

A true postmodern poster would create a Movie Draft based on 20 rounds of drafting films based on categories of foreign ideology.

 

Here's RHR's PMed pick.

 

Occasionally, an album/song is released that makes that band THE BAND for that moment. I'm sure there will be tons of examples in this very thread. This a;bum, along with GNR's album, made TWO BANDS that band in 1987. Love them or hate them, this is the album that made U2 icons. Go ahead, try to not name at least two songs off this album. It's impossible. Try not to hum along to the songs when you here them.

 

Besides, it's got a killer of a beginning....

 

So, for my second pick, it's U2's The Joshua Tree.

 

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I'm going to take a different approach each round, I think. For my second and third picks, I'm going to select records that I could spend nearly a lifetime digesting due to either their paramount importance in the history of music or their impossible depth and complexity. At times, all of those factors play into this.

 

Round 2:

 

 

John Coltrane-Ascension

 

Round 3:

 

 

Miles Davis-Kind of Blue.

 

I'm rather late to the party when it comes to Miles. I only first heard him maybe two years ago. Well, intentionally anyway. At first, I fell in love with his fusion period, but the more I listen to his work, my favorite stuff is really the band with Coltrane/Cannonball Adderly/Paul Chambers. Talk about an insane lineup. All of those guys are pillars in the jazz pantheon.

[RHR 0]

 

Okay...I went personal on the first pick, critical on the second, back to personal on the 3rd pick...

 

This is the debut album of a criminally overlooked band. Of the 11 tracks on the album, there isn't really a dog among them. And, Mean To Me, World Where You Live, Don't Dream It's Over, and Something So Strong are examples of why Neil Finn is one of the best POP songwriter's of all time. Since we can't use GREATEST HITS albums (which...btw...their's is called RECURRING DREAM:THE VERY BEST OF...pick it up if you don't know this band), I picked this as their best album. Could've presented any of them, I guess. Plus, the idea of Don't Dream It's Over playing on a Desert Island is fun.

 

My third pick is Crowded House-Crowded House

[Nighthawk 0]

Hey Gene, I remember you listening to Ascension based on my recommendation. I'm proud.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Oh, that'd make it my turn, again, wouldn't it?

 

 

Faith No More - Angel Dust. If I had to pick one FNM album- and it'd be tough- this would be it. Unless I'm forgetting something obvious, this is easily the best rock album of the 90's, and one of the best rock albums period. "Everything's Ruined" alone makes this album a must-have for me.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Hey Gene, I remember you listening to Ascension based on my recommendation. I'm proud.

 

It's pretty swell. I've delved in to a lot more Coltrane since then. Giant Steps and Meditations were both on my mind, as well as The Olatunji Concert. Had to go with where I started full-force, though.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

'Back In Black' - AC/DC

- There are other albums I like more but I see them sticking around longer than this. The essential AC/DC album with a lot of the hits, great album tracks and their usual kick ass sound. Johnson's peak as a vocalist and great guitar work up and down the album. Pure balls out rock and roll does not get any better than this (well it does but someone already took 'Appetite For Destruction').

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

 

I don't really know what to say about it...I love Cash...and it's At folsom prison...

 

 

[Steviekick 0]

The Ramones Leave Home

 

Their second album is where the Ramones show their true genius. On their self titled debut, they show that they can play like MC5 or the Stooges, but write really short songs with no solos or additional complexities. But on Leave Home, they add another dimension to their sound. Songs like "Oh Oh I Love Her So", "I Remember You" and "Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy" have this early sixties, Beach Boys pop quality. While all the English punk bands were being angry towards the government, the Ramones were being just as rebellious, with their bastardized pop sound. It's a combination of being edgy yet catchy, a formula that's been used by countless bands since. They show their signature humor on songs like "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment", "Carbona Not Glue" and "Suzy is a Headbanger." It's a perfect album in the fact that its filled many songs went on to be staples of the Ramones catalog and the handful of remaining songs are gems in their own right.

[Copper Feel 0]

 

Elvis Costello - This Year's Model (1978)

 

With only a few notable exceptions, most songs succeed on the basis of anything but their use of the English language. That does not apply to This Year's Model (or Elvis Costello's greater discography, for that matter) at all. Virtually every song on the album is based around sexual obssession. Whether they express dissapointment ("No Action", "Living in Paradise"), alienation ("(I Don't Want to Go to) Chealsea", "Lipstick Vogue") or just plain observation ("This Year's Girl", "Pump It Up"). In the hands of a lesser songwriter this could come across as juvenile, but Costello's aforementioned literary leaning and the genuine feelings of anger that this record conveys prevent that from ever truly happening. Elvis did not have the help of the Attractions on his previous album My Aim Is True , and the difference in production and musicianship is immeasurable. His debut was a great record, but it was overly raw and skeletal sounding, this sounds alot more complete. The playing of the Attractions also fits all of the songs really well, since it never oversteps its boundaries, but will still shift in dynamic when necesseary, which at times conveys an intense, almost sarcastic feeling.

 

So yeah, if I continued to write about this album I would just end up going around in circles... Which I sort of am already, but you get my point. Great record.

[Henry Spencer 0]

My first choice where sentimentality has completely overwhelmed objective quality:

 

 

I heard this album before I heard any of the VU's albums, and I was hooked immediately. This album is packed with songs that I would consider to be amoung my all time favorites (Andy's Chest, Perfect Day, Satellite Of Love, Hangin' Round) and no filler between. The whole thing is campy glam fun. Really, I know there are better albums I could have chosen, but I can't imagine life without this one.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

 

My 3rd choice is Nas' Illmatic. This shit is great from start to finish. Nas' debut CD which set the tone for his career.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Hey Gene, I remember you listening to Ascension based on my recommendation. I'm proud.

 

It's pretty swell. I've delved in to a lot more Coltrane since then. Giant Steps and Meditations were both on my mind, as well as The Olatunji Concert. Had to go with where I started full-force, though.

A Love Supreme is great, too. Strangely enough, I had been considering picking Coltrane/Davis for my next two picks, as well. I'm only picking one of them though, and not the album you chose.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

 

My 3rd choice is Nas' Illmatic. This shit is great from start to finish. Nas' debut CD which set the tone for his career.

Dammit that was my next choice. I didn't think anyone would take it this early .

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Every time someone says "Illmatic," my head automatically refers to "that's a one hot album every 10 year average." Very good choice, disses notwithstanding.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

I guess I'd better head to the seventies before TheOriginalOrangeGoblin takes all the good shit:

 

 

Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life"

 

I've read that some of Stevie's other albums are more critically acclaimed, or more culturally and socially significant. But, when it comes to music I like, I could get a rat's ass about cultural or social significance. This is one of my favorite albums of all time, period. It has two fairly well-known songs: "I Wish" (which Will Smith used as the backbone of his hit single "Wild Wild West"), and "Pastime Paradise" (which Coolio stole for the smash hit "Gangsta's Paradise"). But, it also has the under-appreciated "Sir Duke" and my personal favorites "As" and "Another Star."

[mw679 0]

Nice pick. "Isn't She Lovely" is also on this one, which might be the one song on this album which everybody has heard at least once.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Slim is just ripping through eminently listenable classics right now. I listen to these albums all the time.

[Nighthawk 0]

 

David Bowie - Hunky Dory

 

I'm glad this stayed unpicked until round three. I'm actually surprised nobody's taken any Bowie yet.

 

Anyway, I can listen to this any time, anywhere. There's so, so much awesomeness going on. A pop music kaleidescope, it's been called, and that's a good metaphor for it. Beautiful, sunny and very happy sounding in some ways. Some of the best lyrics of Bowie's career, too. This is an album that can cure me of a bad mood.

 

Getting harder now. There's about four albums I want next, I like them all about equally. There's just no way I'll get all or even most of them.

[Henry Spencer 0]

I should have picked Hunky Dory instead of Transformer, as it really encapsulates everything I love about the Reed album, only better.

 

Dammit.

[The Man in Blak 0]

 

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

 

I too have about three or four albums that will probably be toast when my turn comes back around, but I can't leave this one, the album that really hooked me into jazz, out there on the table. Right at the crossroads between his past virtuosity and his future journeys into wild experimentation, Coltrane envelops himself in spiritual contemplation. Set upon a rich modal backdrop supplied by the best rhythmic support of his solo career (Tyner/Garrison/Jones), A Love Supreme is a multi-faceted, emotional work and, though they may not touch upon as many notes as Giant Steps, Coltrane's solo runs throughout the entire album are among his most memorable. An unbelievable album from one of the most intriguing figures in the entire genre.

[mw679 0]

 

Wu-Tang Clan- Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) 1993

 

Man, I wasn't sure if this one was going to make it to my pick. There were some great hip-hop albums picked ahead of this, so I'm glad I get to take it to my island. This album, I can listen to over and over, the beats, the rhymes, the samples are all perfect. RZA's production is amazing and I still can't believe how 9 guys can flow so well together yet all have their own unique styles that sets them apart from one another. Wu-Tang set the bar so high with their debut, I think it was hard to duplicate on their other albums. This is one of those albums that every track is great, I can listen to it straight through, front to back- "Bring The Ruckus", "C.R.E.A.M.", Protect Ya Neck", "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin' To F' Wit" are all stand outs. Probably my all time favorite hip-hop album.

 

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

I guess I'd better head to the seventies before TheOriginalOrangeGoblin takes all the good shit:

 

 

Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life"

 

I've read that some of Stevie's other albums are more critically acclaimed, or more culturally and socially significant. But, when it comes to music I like, I could get a rat's ass about cultural or social significance. This is one of my favorite albums of all time, period. It has two fairly well-known songs: "I Wish" (which Will Smith used as the backbone of his hit single "Wild Wild West"), and "Pastime Paradise" (which Coolio stole for the smash hit "Gangsta's Paradise"). But, it also has the under-appreciated "Sir Duke" and my personal favorites "As" and "Another Star."

Good timing, I had this lined up as one of my next 2 picks.

[Darthtiki 0]

 

Tragic Kingdom- No Doubt (1995)

 

While this album didn't quite take off until the following year, this disc was the one that put No Doubt on the map spawning the singles "Just A Girl", "Spiderwebs", "Don't Speak", "Excuse Me Mister" and "Sunday Morning" even songs like "Hey You" and "World Go Round" are still listenable with a great So-Cal summery sweetness. On a personal level it was a disc that introduced me to the Orange County musical landscape at the time.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

I was just listening to Don't Speak earlier today.

[Nighthawk 0]

Good acquisition on 36 Chambers. I'm pretty sure a lot of people here wanted it. I know I did.

 

While I prefer a couple rap albums to it (obv Nation of Millions, I agree with Chronic, one/some I won't reveal yet), 36 Chambers is an album that almost everybody likes.

 

I always play it for people who don't like rap, and they usually admit it's good, even if not their particular forte.

[Guest Michael Myers Resplendent]

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Private Eyes

I have a big soft spot for '80s stuff, I guess. If I can't take The Cars' Greatest Hits with me, I don't want any Cars at all, so I'll go with the H to the O. I can save face by saying that it's good warm-weather driving music, in the event that I, y'know, fashion a convertible out of coconuts and bamboo like the professor on Gillgan's Island. If I can't do that, at least its shimmering power-pop production and infectious hooks will keep my head above water.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

That's one of the most beautifully retarded album covers ever. Speaking of...

 

We seem to be having a run on rap, and several of my favorites have already been snatched. Fortunately, mitigating that lines up pretty well with what I wanted to try with this pick, anyway: to pick the album that I associate with more good times than any other. If I'm running with the desert island concept, I'd really want to have something that 1) lines up with a lot of my best memories, and 2) is enjoyable enough in its own right to keep me going without them. Thus:

 

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle

 

Weddings, parties, road trips, vacation, tailgating; this has been played over and over at all of them. I'm not sure you could find a better sing-along album. The inscrutable "I treat a bitch like 7-Up, I never have, I never will" cracks me up every time. So does the sheer obscenity of "Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)," and the entirety of "Lodi Dodi." And all my personal associations with it aside, this is a hell of an album, every bit the equal of The Chronic and the one I like better of the pair. The guest rappers are better, the production creates a more consistent sound, and Snoop turns in one of the best recorded performances of all time, one of the best and most unique rappers ever at the peak of his abilities and wit. Short of maybe Purple Rain, I actually listen to this in full the most out of every album I own.