Desert Island Draft Thread

[Guest Beastalentier]

The best Springsteen album of all, if you ask me, which you didn't, because I let myself in. Perfect sequencing, with the upbeat numbers in the first half, the darker ballads in the second half, but then "4th of July, Asbury Park" and "Rosalita" are flipped to opposite sides to keep things from getting too samey, oh, and that circus thing in the middle as a palate-cleanser, I guess. It's all downhill from here, as the kitchen-sink arrangements dwindle down to boring old arena rock, the mile-a-minute New York street poetry dumbs down to simple refrains, and Bruce goes from looking like the crazy bearded slumming leader of misfits (that he was, I suppose), to affecting the apparel of an off-duty contractor whose life peaked in high school, which is a fitting analogy for his career arc.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I'm confused...am I up now?

[Ravenbomb 0]

Yes

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

 

My favorite Pink Floyd album...and since the big 2 were taken...i'd probably better jump on it now.

 

I spent more time relaxing and listening to this album than anything else. If I'm to be stuck on an island I'd want some nice relaxing music. Although all I can think of whenever I hear the begining of Shine On You Crazy Diamond is playing my PS1 for hours and hours while it was on in the background.

 

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

'All Eyez On Me' - 2 Pac

- Not as consistent as 'Me Against The World' but this is still Pac's masterpiece. Running the gamut from introspection (I Aint Mad At Cha) to anger (2 Of America's Most Wanted) to lady-pleasers (How Do U Want It) to somber tributes (Life Goes On), this album has everything and then some. It may have some filler and some unnecessary guest appearances but that's the nature of the game on a double album, especially on one that is the perfect representation of an artist in his prime who is confused about his place in this world (which definetely describes Pac) and is firing at it with all cylinders. Plus bonus points for having 2 of Pac's all-time great songs that I haven't mentioned yet: California Love and, the very underrated, Wonder Why They Call You Bitch.

[Ravenbomb 0]

"Class Clown" by George Carlin

I don't see any rules saying it has to be a music album. I'd want to hear someone's voice (besides the singing on the other albums) and since I can't bring someone with me, a spoken word album would be the next best thing, and this is my favorite of that type of album. Probably Carlin's best overall show, and while there are individual bits that I love (the "Four Groups That Gotta Go" bit, for example), none of his other shows/albums (or those of any other comedian) can touch this one.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

... While I dig the choice, I gotta nix it, Ravenbomb. It's pretty much implied that this is a music draft but I'll be sure to clarify in the 1st page.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Hmph. Alright, I shall go with what would've been my next choice.

 

 

"Closing Time" by Tom Waits

People rave about his later albums more, in fact I usually see this towards the bottom of peoples' Tom Waits lists, but not only is it my favorite Waits album, it's one of my favorite albums in general. It may not have his stand-out songs like Time or Soldier's Things on it, but it still shows how fucking great a songwriter he is, and it's more accessible that the later, more experimentally inclined stuff.

[RHR 0]

 

 

My first hip hop selection was the release of one of the best MCs of all time and cutting edge production techniques (and don't sweat that!)...I remember the first time I heard it I was amazed at how smooth the flow was...how new it sounded.

 

Without a doubt, my fourth pick, fulla hip hop goodness....ERIC B AND RAKIM-PAID IN FULL

 

And just for fun:

 

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

 

David Bowie-The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars

 

Low was taken, and this alternates as my favorite Bowie record.

 

 

King Crimson-Red

 

My favorite album of the 70's. I rolled the dice to grab some other stuff earlier, but I can't let this one slip through my fingers, even if no one else has been leaning this direction. This is the sound of a band at their best, despite the members feeling their worst about one another. They relentlessly step on each others' toes in the large improv piece, "Providence," but it still comes across as fresh, unique, and somehow cohesive. Top notch. "One More Red Nightmare" is my favorite song most of the time. Amazing layering of guitar textures and horns; polyrhythm, handclaps, tense vocals. Oh yes.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

RHR selects via PM...

 

 

Seeing as though I am a huge fan, I picked Darkness first for personal reasons. But now that THREE of his albums have been picked, I had to pick this one, too. For all the non-Bruce fans (especially those who hate the BOSS persona) this is the album that is used for the "I don't like Springsteen, but..."

 

Every song is a moving song. With Highway Patrolman, State Trooper, and Johnny 99...Bruce went from being RAWK to being a real artist. Even the cover is amazing and stipped of all pretention.

 

NEBRASKA. My next pick.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Commish, I need a ruling: what's the word on re-released albums?

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Commish, I need a ruling: what's the word on re-released albums?

 

Only the original albums are up for grabs.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Curses!

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Now that's interesting. What remaster is so much better than the original that you'd pick it specifically? I can think of a few offhand that have been improved by their bonus material, but not many that have changed very significantly.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

You'll see it two draft picks from now...

[Ravenbomb 0]

"Streetcore" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

I think Strummer's work with the Mescaleros is at least as good as his work with the Clash. And I'd probably pick this one album out of any of his, Clash albums included. It's a great album top-to-bottom and it wasn't even completed. I can't imagine how great it would've been if Strummer had lived to see it finished and released. Besides, "Burnin' Streets" and "Redemption Song" alone make this a must-have album for me.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

'Chronic 2001' by Dr. Dre

- When I need some music to chill and vibe too while getting my drink on, nothing can top this album. While it contains some filler, the good on here is VERY good and is one of the best albums ever for making your trunk rattle and possibly damaging your speakers. Plus, who hasn't been to a party where this CD was playing repeat?

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Me. I don't do parties.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I can't say I've ever heard that album on repeat at a party--the original Chronic, yeah--but I can also say that I don't think I've been to a party since Chronic 2001's release that didn't feature at least one of the titanic three singles.

[Copper Feel 0]

I'm intrigued. "Forgot About Dre" and "Still D.R.E" are givens, but what's the other big single? I want to say "The Next Episode", but I never listen to the radio and was only 8 years old when 2001 was released, so I'm not quite so sure.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

You are correct. "What's the Difference" can get some party play too, depending on the scenery.

[Guest Beastalentier]

Yeah, those are probably the three. I have two of them on my Best of Stuff I Liked in 8th Grade, which is even more ineligible for this contest as I am.

 

Brian Eno - Another Green World

 

Come on. I yammer on about how much I love this album every week, I think. What's left to say? It's the best album from one of the most important musical figures of the 20th century, and since people have really seemed to run with my little offhand "after all, it's a desert island" joke from my Skylarking blurb, the ambient textures of this album, especially on "In Dark Trees," "Sombre Reptiles," and "The Big Ship," are perfect for such a setting. Since, again, we're dealing with being limited to a finite number of albums, it's a smart choice to take something that's so dense and compelling that I can find almost infinite new things to catch my attention. Still a shame about taking too long to fade out on "I'll Come Running," but hey.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

You are correct. "What's the Difference" can get some party play too, depending on the scenery.

 

 

"Xxplosive" used to get a fair amount of burn at high school parties way back when. "Let's Get High" and "Bang Bang" for that matter, too.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

 

Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville

 

I'll even admit that I don't hate her sellout stuff...but this album is phenomenal and really is deserving of all the praise that was heaped upon it.

 

It sounds like it was taped in a garage...and more importantly it sounds like she couldn't give a shit if you care what she's saying or not. Brilliant stuff.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

You are correct. "What's the Difference" can get some party play too, depending on the scenery.

 

 

"Xxplosive" used to get a fair amount of burn at high school parties way back when. "Let's Get High" and "Bang Bang" for that matter, too.

I've seen "Fuck You" be popular at parties and "The Watcher" for mellower moments. This is why I pick that CD, damn near every song has memories attached to it and/or can set the mood.

[BUTT 0]

Is "Let's Get High" the one where it's like "Hello, my name is Dre. Can I blaze some chronic with you?" "NIGGA WHAT?? FO SHO!"? God I hate hip-hop skits. Especially on 2001 where there's about .0001 seconds between the intro and the first song so it's like "whatupdoctordreTHINGS JUST AIN'T THE SAME FOR GANGSTAS". Leave at least a second or two there for a smooth transition!

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

2001 is one of my favorites. Plus, Some LA Niggaz. That's a good song.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

theSperm/Walter Sickert is now on the clock as 24 hours have elapsed. StevieKick can make his pick whenever.

[Steviekick 0]

U2 - Achtung Baby

 

U2's finest moment. The album is a dark and dense mix, with strong electronic influences and guitar drive songs. In a way, its a loveletter to musicians they like, from Brian Eno and David Bowie's avant garde stylings to their contemporaries like My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth. Achtung Baby is an album where the artist completely reinvents themselves and succeeds at doing so. This is one of the few albums I can listen to repeatedly.