Accelerando's Top 50 Albums v. COMPLETED

[sneakyblueberry]

I've never heard this album, and I think I vaguely remember hearing about this project.  You make it sound so good though, I should really get my hands on it.  I love Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda and I've always dug Copeland's drumming.  Phish I am not familiar with at all. 

[King Postwhore]

Oysterhead is a hard album to get into.  I love Primus but this album makes Primus seem accessible.

[Accelerando]

Oysterhead is a hard album to get into.  I love Primus but this album makes Primus seem accessible.

Interesting! I've always viewed Oysterhead more accessible than Primus. But anything is debatable when Les Claypool is involved 

#19
Discovery
Daft Punk
2001

If you had ever heard a Daft Punk song, more than likely it came off of this album. Especially the first four tracks: “One More Time”, “Aerodynamic”, “Digital Love”, and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” – those are all instant classics. This album dropped nearly four years after their very successful debut album, Homework. It was a record that genuinely changed the house movement, with sounds and styles that artists after them have been heavily influenced by. With Discovery, they apply their love of 70’s and 80’s disco dance grooves and included it with house, smooth jazz, new wave, and rock.

This is sonically one of the best album I have ever listened to. The production value is insane, adding stuff very sympathetically and effectively like the vocoders, synths, huge kicks, and heavy compression. It was innovative at that time, really. It also comes studded with pomp rock, Rick Wakeman-esque keyboard runs and smooth mid-Atlantic funk ballads. There are also some pseudo-classical solos that aspiring metal guitarists spent years trying to perfect (specifically, Aerodynamic.)

Discovery is an unstoppable energy. The first four tracks I mentioned seemed to impossible for the rest of the album to follow up. Even the chilled-out groove of “Nightvision” and “Something About Us” is still dynamic energy and keeps the record going. “Voyager” and “Verdis Quo” are dimensions of the acid house music that Daft Punk brought in Homework, along with “Short Circuit”, one of the most underappreciated tracks on the album.

One of the greatest electronic album's of all time and will be remembered as such. Perfectly captures the emotion and tone of my first experience with electronic music and I feel unbelievably lucky to have lived through such an amazing piece of Art.

Favorite Tracks: Digital Love, Voyager, Aerodynamic, Veridis Quo, Harder Better Faster Stronger

#18
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
1971

Marvin Gaye is one of the best and most important voices in the history soul music. With What’s Going On, Marvin shares his thoughts on the American dream of the past and relating it to urban decay, police brutality, poverty, and unemployment. It became one of the most important and passionate pieces of work during the Motown era, and became what is considered Marvin Gaye’s masterpiece.

Obviously, there are some heavy subject matters in the album, which was something different than what both Gaye and Motown had created before. It’s not party music. The title track opens the album and he ponders the question of what is going on in the world today. It was not just about the brothers dying in and mothers crying about the Vietnam War, but about the wars of everyday life in Urban America. The next five songs flow in and out of one another forming a musical suite. In "What's Happening Brother" he questions why the inner city is decaying while "Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)" is about Mr. Gaye's drug use. "Save The Children" asks for us to get together and make the world a better places for our kids and he provides a possible solution by looking to higher powers in "God Is Love". "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is his take on the polluting of the world. "Right On" is a what one might call psychedelic funk and "Wholy Holy" is a sermon from the son of a preacher. The album closes back where it started with "Inner City Blues (Make Me Holler)" where Mr. Gaye rails against the problems of the ghettos.

An album like this only comes along once in a million years, and it's luster will never tarnish. Marvin Gaye was a beautiful human being, and he literally poured out every emotion onto this record. Certainly a stand out record from a stand out artist.

Favorite tracks: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), What’s Going On?, Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), What’s Happening Brother, Right On

[Accelerando]

#17
Alive 2007
Daft Punk
2007

Here is the only live album you will find on my list. I debated about having this album on my list for some time because I wanted focus mainly on LPs. However, according to my iTunes, it is the most played album on my list. I was surprised that an Alter Bridge or Michael Jackson record wasn't the most played, but having gone through two different laptops and iPods (including the iPhone), I figured it is recently in the past or so my most played. My guess is this is one of my go-to albums to workout to. With it's hard thumping beats and builds, it's a live album that keeps me energized and motivated, and at times, makes me wanna get up and dance. Great for cardio. Another reason why this is on my favorite albums list is because if you take out the live settings with the audience, this could be one great remix record of Daft Punk's first three albums: Homework, Discovery, and Human After All.

This is by no means just the casual spinning of the same old standard loops.  This is a group reinventing and twisting classics for the audience before them.  In more than 12 tracks, they incorporate elements of 25 of their songs in an energetic concert.  All these songs pop tremendously and live harmoniously when mixed together. Even Snippets of songs from their weakest album, Human After All (which does not mean it was a bad album. It just never became the instant classics the first two Daft Punk albums were, and certainly is better than people are giving it credit for., breathe new life and become better. All three albums are represented evenly.

The robots' human element is more evident here than on the studio recordings. With a track like "Face to Face/Short Circuit", a well-tweaked sequence of blips slows and speeds up like it never would on record. You can feel the human hands at work. “Touch It/Technologic” is begun by a half-speed section of the computerized vocals being repeated over and over before it kicks into gear.  When it picks up, they proceed to kick your ass and tear the house down. Blending two monumental standouts like “Around the World” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” together is an obvious yet well-thought out move, and it serves both tracks well.

One of the very great Live albums of our times, this album encapsulates the energy and versatility that Daft Punk so vehemently pioneered in the 90's and 00's.

Favorite Tracks: Touch It/Technologic, The Prime Time of Your Life/The Brainwasher/Rollin' & Scratchin'/Alive, Around The World/Harder Better Faster Stronger, Robot Rock/Oh Yeah, Television Rules The Nation/Crescendolls

#16
Second Skin
The Mayfield Four
2001

The Mayfield Four is a Spokane based band that Myles Kennedy played in before joining Alter Bridge. If you thought Myles' vocals are tremendous with Alter Bridge, and now Slash and the Conspirators, then you really need to check out The Mayfield Four. I think his music and vocal performance are some of the most personal and sentimental work in his career. The rest of the band members are not bad, but his voice just really sets the band apart. Their debut album, Fallout, was a very bluesy and laid-back album, particularly Myles' heavily-influenced Jeff Buckley singing. Their second and last album as a band, Second Skin, transitioned to a straight up rock album that let Myles display his vocals more effectively.

The Mayfield Four became "The Mayfield Trio" when they made Second Skin because of the departure of lead guitarist Craig Johnson. Kennedy, already an accomplished guitarist, steps up providing both rhythm and lead guitar on the record. It should be noted that Nine Inch Nails' guitarist Alessandro Cortini filled in on the road and even appeared in the band's publicity photos to avoid confusion of the band's name, but he is not on this album. There aren’t any massive riffs or solos to be found here, but the musicianship manages to be fairly diverse for a rock album and mostly avoids falling into boring power chords. Most songs are driven by simple, catchy guitar riffs that provide a solid backbone to Kennedy’s stellar vocal performances

You'd be surprised you couldn't find one filler or out-of-place song anywhere. It's absolutely a gem from start to finish. It flows perfectly, barely changing gears or pace. Myles never ceases to amaze with the ability to encompass resonant bottom notes and powerful sky-high top notes like on "Believe"."White Flag" is one of the album's few ballads, and it has a good, catchy chorus and a beautiful melody about a surrender to love. The end track, "Summergirl", is one of the saddest songs I have ever heard as Myles sings with such conviction and the emotion he is feeling about life loss. Also, here he displays his 4 octave range with unbelievable control and power.

Second Skin is such a fantastic album. It's a shame that not many people have heard it. It really did fly under the radar. It is a consistently enjoyable piece of modern rock that hints at the greater accomplishments Myles would soon achieve with Alter Bridge.


Favorite Tracks: Believe, White Flag, Summergirl, Sick & Wrong, Mars Hotel

[Outcrier]

Discovery is one of my favorites too 

[Anguyen92]

Read "Summergirl went away" in the title.  I know what album that is.

Edit:  Read the post. YES!!!!!  Love live that Second Skin album!!!  Summergirl, White Flag, Eden(Turn the Page), Mars Hotel, and Carry On amongst others are so bloody great.  It's kinda an interesting note (and kinda sad note) that this album is more well-known now with Myles' success with AB and Slash/Conspirators than it was when Mayfield Four was active.  Tremendous vocals and some of the lyrics like White Flag and Eden holds dear to me, personally.

[Accelerando]

Yep. "Carry On" helped me get through a tough break up a while ago. Such personal lyrics that we can identify with. That's one of the strengths of Myles' songwriting.

[Accelerando]

#15
II
Led Zeppelin
1969

This album is a prime example on why Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones are rock and roll legends. With tight guitar riffs, a considerate amount of blues, layers of songwriting and musicianship, and great vocals, Led Zeppelin II is everything a fan of rock music would want. It provided a blueprint for all heavy metal bands that followed it.

I think one of the most amazing things about this album is that it was recorded during Zeppelin’s first American tour. Their debut album was only released 9 months prior! Since the group could only enter the studio for brief amounts of time, most of the songs that compose II are reworked blues and rock & roll standards that the band was performing on-stage at the time. No matter the lack of original material; the sound of the album was heavy and loud, complimented by extended instrumental solos. The rhythm section makes the sound so cohesive. Bonham's drums drives the band ever forward while Jones is just ethereal on the keyboards and bass guitar. Even more than the debut album, Led Zeppelin II is a document of the bands technical ability.

Jimmy Page’s opening riff for “Whole Lotta Love” is one of the greatest in rock and roll history, and sets up a powerful foundation for the record. “Heartbreaker”, “Living Loving Maid”, and “The Lemon Song” are other signature riffs. II has great softer stretches in the album, like “What Is And What Should Never Be” and “Thank You.” The drum solo in “Moby Dick” is legendary, and certainly put Bonham on the pedestal of great rock drummers. “Ramble On” gives the album a subtle energy with acoustic and great backing rhythm section. I cannot say enough about that break in “Bring It On Home.” I loved it so much I made that section my ringtone.

Led Zeppelin II is more than a classic record. It’s is one of the most influential records going into the 70s

Favorite Tracks: Bring It On Home, Ramble On, Whole Lotta Love, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick

[Outcrier]

Led Zeppelin II is more than a classic record. It’s is one of the most influential records going into the 70s

Well, the same can be said about most of their albums anyway

[Accelerando]

Led Zeppelin II is more than a classic record. It’s is one of the most influential records going into the 70s

Well, the same can be said about most of their albums anyway

haha this is true 

#14
Fortress
Alter Bridge
2013

Alter Bridge seems comfortable with releasing an album every three years. One Day Remains was released in 2004 followed by Blackbird in 2007, AB III in 2010, and their latest Fortress settling for 2013. Those time in between the band members are busy with side projects, most notably Myles Kennedy is fronting Slash’s solo records, and Mark Tremonti released his first solo record in 2012. Also, drummer Scott Phillips formed a supergroup with members of Sevendust and Submersed called Projected. Brian Marshall co-owns a resort in Costa Rica with his wife. But during all this time, Alter Bridge fans thirst for more of the quartets music like Vampires thirst for blood. AB III showed signs of experimentation, and darker musically, and half the album fell flat. Three long years later, the wait was worth it all, as Fortress is the bands best effort to date.

Alter Bridge have established themselves as melodic hard rock. You’re always guaranteed soaring melodies and anthems with their music, as well as metallic hard riffs, soloing, and excellent bridges. This time around, and picking up where they left off with AB III, they showed off their versatility as songwriters and musicians. They progress as a band by changing up songwriting arrangements and experimented with time signatures. It is their most progressive album to date, with signs that they were going that way with songs from their previous albums like “Coming Home” and “Show Me A Sign.” They have certainly tried to detach from the samey rock song structure and created something pure and interesting.

The album starts off with an epic if there ever was one. “Cry of Achilles” is a crowning achievement. It immediately dispels any fears of the band playing it safe with a captivating acoustic intro, diverse riffing, a spirited performance from Myles, and a pair of ripping guitar solos. “Addicted To Pain” and “Bleed It Dry” shows off the riff machine that is Mark Tremonti. He loves to make that guitar sound absolutely mean and brutal in these two songs. Tremonti also makes his debut as a lead vocalist in in the progressive “Waters Rising.” One of Myles Kennedy’s best vocal performances with Alter Bridge can be found in “Calm The Fire.” The intro shows off his beautiful falsetto that can be found in his former low-key bands like The Mayfield Four and Citizen Swing. Then the song explodes with bombastic anthem guitars. The album concludes with the title track, “Fortress,” one of their most experimental and epic tracks. The highlight is in the bridge, which is probably the greatest moment in Alter Bridge history. The bridge is a metal heads dream. The rhythm section of Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips brings the thunder to elevate the heavy riffage. Then Tremonti and Kennedy treat the ears with a duel of sorts; Tremonti shows of technical efficiency in guitar soloing, and Myles bluesy style compliments it.

Fortress is the perfect culmination of what happens when a band whose sound embodies some signature elements made popular by many melodic rock bands take a risk and executes it perfectly. The substance and technicality have immersed their music to a whole new level. Alter Bridge is the best hard rock band out there, and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

Favorite Tracks: Cry of Achilles, Fortress, Calm The Fire, Waters Rising, Bleed It Dry

[Basekick]

There's Fortress!  You have no idea how in love with that record I am.  I feel like that set out to make an album just to suit all of my needs.

An abundance of half-time moments?  Check
Solos from Myles?  Check
Prog-metal influences?  Check
Enormous Anthemic choruses?  Check
Palm-muted infused meldoic riffs?  Check
Luscious clean vocals that perfectly compliment heavy riffs and rhythm?  CHECK

I don't think I'll enjoy an album more from this decade than Fortress.

[Anguyen92]

Yep.  Four of that five favorite tracks are in my fave five of the album.  I actually have All Ends Well instead of Calm the Fire as the 5th in the fave five.  I admit it.  I like cheery, uplifting, to the point of it being sappy, ballads.  The difference between any other ballads made by other bands and All Ends Well is that it is made by AB which makes it above a "standard" modern rock ballad.

Everything else you said about that album, Accelerando, is all that needs to be said about this fantastic album.

[Accelerando]

As I said before in my prologue, this list will be ever changing. My top will always be the same, but I suspect Fortress will eventually crack it. I love that album so much. I want to re-write my Top Alter Bridge songs that I did 4 something years ago before the release of AB III, so I can rank those songs and Fortress songs

I've been on a crazy overnight commercial shoot and we will wrap production tomorrow night. Just hang tight for #13-#11. I'm typing this on my iPhone so I don't access to my notes for my write-ups.

[Sacul]

I definitely should check Alter Bridge soon. Btw, you can use BigHugeLabs' Writer, which is an online text processor and you can create multiple documents and access them trough your PC or your phone. There you can put the notes for your write-ups any time you need them.

[Accelerando]

#13
A Night At The Opera
Queen
1975

Ah. What could i say where could i begin? So much to say that's been said a thousand times before. The year was 1975. Queen had released 3 previous albums, ranging from good to amazing. They had tried everything and experimented which quite frankly worked beautifully. How could they push themselves more? Operatic vocals, acapella sections, fantastic and whimsical lyrics, flamboyant vocal melodies, top-notch musicianship and even a kazoo solo or two. In the hands of a lesser band, all these factors could combine to make a pretentious mess. But with Queen, these come together to make a masterpiece, A Night At The Opera.

This album left an indeliable mark on the rock music landscape. Variety, quality, uniqueness, unpredictability and the sheer power of these songs. And of course, Freddie Mercury. His vocal performance here is one of the best of all time. Technically spectacular, tasteful, at times heartfelt and simply amazing. Mercury was one of those vocalists who could make a song better and determine the mood just by singing on it. Plus, He's supported by top notch musician, songwriters, and vocalists in Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor. . Brian May makes a large amount of contributions to this album as the guitarist. He does plenty of overdubs, a signature playing style for him, and it makes his guitar work exciting and innovative. John Deacon brings out his songwriting in the elegant ballad "You're my Best Friend", while Roger Taylor writes the song "I'm in Love with my Car", one of his best songs yet. The bass and drums are pretty good too and keep up perfectly. Last but not least, is the genius production on this album. Listen to Bohemian Rhapsody or Prophet's Song and you'll see what I mean.


The flagship track here, Bohemian Rhapsody, is one of the most known and revered tracks in music history. It has been covered from different musicians and entertainers from Fuzzbox to The Muppets. Of course, there is that famous scene in Wayne’s World. Even with it’s popularity, it does not overshadow how wonderful the other tracks are. From the biting venom in the band's ode to a greedy manager, “Death On Two Legs,” to the jaunty interlude of “Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon,” each song flows seamlessly into the next. Standouts include May conducting an entire orchestra of guitars on the plaintive ode to lost youth, “Good Company,” as well as the most beautiful harp-accompanied ballad, “Love Of My Life

Favorite Tracks: Bohemian Rhapsody, The Prophet’s Song, Death On Two Legs, I'm In Love With My Car, You’re My Best Friend

#12
The Joshua Tree
U2
1987

There is within music an ability to tap into the raw, revelatory power of beauty, and can give itself to the unknown whisper of the eternal in ways that other forms of art only hint at. The collage of sounds communicates something deep to the heart and, when combined with the presence of the voice, can be downright liberating. Few individuals, let alone bands, ever really reach a point where they are that open to the Unknown that it can give itself so freely through their music. U2 has done so time and again, but never with the level of directness and sincerity as they accomplished on the Joshua Tree. This is truly their masterpiece.

It is one of those rare albums that came at the perfect time in a band's career, when everything that made them an excellent band converged to make them rank among the best of all time. They had certainly had fine albums before: The excellent debut, Boy; the underappreciated October; the brilliant War; and the more experimental album, The Unforgettable Fire. But this is the one that launched them to the stratosphere. The opening suite is about as good as it gets in music: "Where the Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "With or Without You". All of these are more than just great rock hits: they're part of the fabric of our time.

Not only are the opening tracks incredible, and well-known to all, but the album continues with series of songs both hard-hitting, stunningly beautiful, totally heart-felt, and wonderfully pure, sometimes all at once. "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" give full expression to U2's long-time political engagement. "One Tree Hill", a deeply personal song about the death of a friend, moves with passion, rugged grace, and with hope: "I'll see you again when the stars fall from the sky and the moon has turned red over one tree hill."

The bottom line for me is that this is one of the greatest albums ever made. It is a treasure of a record if there was ever one.

Favorite Tracks: Bullet The Blue Sky, Where The Streets Have No Name, Exit, Running To Stand Still, I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For

[Accelerando]

#11
Thriller
Michael Jackson
1982

Like the last two albums I mentioned, this is an album that doesn’t need any introduction. It is quite possibly the biggest album of all time. Nothing could have prepared the world for this beast that was unleashed by Michael Jackson, even though he was prevalent in the music industry ever since he was 6 years old. Part of the albums success could have to deal with Jacksons idea to only feature nine songs on the album and release seven of those nine as singles, thus if the singles become hits, the album will be too. With that Jackson could only wait to see if he did the right thing. He did, because those seven singles were major hits and the album has sold over 110 million copies.

From the rousing dance beat that kicks off "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" to the beautifully soulful synth work that permeates album closer "The Lady In My Life," nearly everything has aged wonderfully. The lyrics reflect this very well too, with diverse topics ranging from love, nightmarish imagery, longing to live life to the fullest and doing so in the process, to anti-violence, all rarely feeling too contrived; even when it is, though, it's pretty entertaining to say the least. The diversity extend to the music to, as it ranges from rock, soul, and disco. It's fantastic, because that means the songs never feel like they run together; they all have something distinct to offer that differentiates them from each other. At forty-two minutes, the material never really drags too much anywhere either, so everything is very comprehensive and easy to pick up and listen to at any time.

There are a group of songs on the middle of this album that I like to call “The Big 3”, which is “Thriller”, “Beat It”, and “Billie Jean.” They are arguably the most famous and best songs on the album. “Thriller” is one of the most famous songs ever, and partially that is due to the music video. “Beat It” is such a rockin tune, from the catchy riff to the Jackson’s infectious and aggressive vocals and the guitar solo that features Eddie Van Halen. “Billie Jean” defines 80’s dance music, and definitely a highlight in Michael’s career.

This is Michael Jackson at his top performance, an album that influenced a whole new generation of pop artists. The album was indescribably successful because of the blend of dark themes and pop ballads, stepping away from his R&B roots, although they are still there. Thriller is an album that can never be repeated, while some of the tracks have become cliché and cheesy today, to those that truly appreciate the art of this album Thriller is forever timeless.

Favorite Tracks: Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature, The Lady In My Life, Thriller

[wolfking]

Thriller is damn good.

[Accelerando]

Alright everyone, here we are at my top ten favorite albums of all time. As you can see my list encompasses a diverse range of musical tastes. I think my top ten reflects that as well. Before we get to it, I will realist the 40 albums I have listed thus far:

50. Faith No More - Angel Dust
49. Kamelot - The Black Halo
48. The Heavy – The House That Dirt Built
47. A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
46. Pearl Jam - Ten
45. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
44. The Who - Tommy
43. Mastodon - Laviathon
42. Outkast - Stankonia
41. Van Halen - 5150
40. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
39. Coldplay - Parachutes, A Rush of Blood Through The Head
38. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
37. Childish Gambino - Camp
36. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
35. P.O.D. - Satellite
34. Rob Dougan - Furious Angels
33. The Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio
32. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland
31. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
30. Dream Theater - Octavarium
29. Creed - My Own Prison, Human Clay
28. The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
27. Radiohead - OK Computer
26. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
25. Pink Floyd - The Wall
24. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
23. Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
22. Dream Theater - Images and Words
21. Radiohead - In Rainbows
20. Oysterhead - The Grand Pecking Order
19. Daft Punk - Discovery
18. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
17. Daft Punk - Alive 2007
16. The Mayfield Four - Second Skin
15. Led Zeppelin - II
14. Alter Bridge - Fortress
13. Queen - A Night At The Opera
12. U2 - The Joshua Tree
11. Michael Jackson - Thriller

#10
Grace
Jeff Buckley
1994

There are certain songs you remember hearing for the first time, and the impression was so strong. For me, it was listening to my uncle's copy of Jeff Buckley's Grace and him singing along "Hallelujah." IFor most people my age, their very first time hearing "Hallelujah" was in the movie Shrek performed by John Cale. I distinctly remember trying to correct my fellow classmate in middle school when the movie first came out that it was a covered off of Jeff Buckley. My teacher than corrected me saying Jeff Buckley covered the song that was originally by another singer-songwriter by the name of Leonard Cohen. Cohen song was personal, lamenting his own private struggle with faith and love. Buckley's takes the concept and turns it universal. He draws out every little dramatic up and down to theatrical heights. He made the blueprint that every person with a guitar, a dream and a full string section could follow to leave people watching in tears.

I'm not here to talk about "Hallelujah", because the entire album is beautiful. With his ridiculous vocal range of three and a half octaves and his lush music production, Grace showed what made Buckley so special. He was extremely talented, impulsive, and personal. Another attribute was his place in time. In a time when music was getting dirty and explicit, and his music was clean and fresh. Grace has a very solemn, jazzy feel that is brought some brightness in the form of Buckley’s vocal melodies. Due to amount of range Jeff possesses he is able to single handedly change the mood, or evoke some otherwise unseen emotion, in the various points of his songs. Buckley’s lyrical intensity feels very sincere and honest in comparison to the anger and contempt most bands were releasing during the time of this albums release.

While most of the songs do seem to be centered on the loss of love, or problems with relationships, his flawless imagery and wording really add to the beauty of the album. Instead of falling into the pitfall of criticizing the spouse, like most modern pop-punk bands seem to do, Buckley is able to examine the entire situation of the relationship as well as his problems, and this is made most evident in the song "Lover, You Should’ve Come Over" specifically in the line “Well maybe I'm just too young/To keep good love from going wrong”.

The album starts off with three catchy and uplifting songs in the form of "Mojo Pin", "Grace", and "Last Goodbye." Then we get to the middle of the album where we can find his covers. He possesses the ability to turn cover songs into songs that are all his own, which helps these covers blend in perfectly with the rest of the album’s sound. Besides "Hallelujah", we have Jeff's take on James Shelton's "Lilac Wine" and Benjamin Britten's "Corpus Christi Carol", both which are beautiful takes. "Eternal Life" and "Dream Brother" switch from the depressing mood that has been established. I'm also going to mention the posthumous track that was on the Legacy Edition of Grace in 2004, "Forget Her", because it's one of the most beautiful, personal songs that he wrote in his short career.

All in all, rarely has a debut artist come onto the scene with the impact of a Jeff Buckley. Alas the tragedy is that his musical legacy was impromptly halted. Jeff Buckley accidentally drowned in May of '97, which makes this album and his subsequent, unfinished release Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk that much more precious. However, Grace was his one fully realized album during his all-too-brief stay with us on earth, and that album is one of the most passionate and spiritual albums I have ever heard.

Favorite Tracks: Hallelujah, Lover, You Should've Come Over, Forget Her, Last Goodbye, Grace

[sneakyblueberry]

Yes! I knew what it was when I saw the thread title.  Words cannot express how much this album means to me <3

[Elite]

Thriller is one of those albums where I can instantly recognise how good and influential it is, but one that will never strike me personally. Nice choice though.

Grace, on the other hand, is absolutely fucking fantastic and one of my favourites as well. Very good choice

[wolfking]

Never really cared for Jeff Buckley to be honest.

[sneakyblueberry]

Never really cared for Jeff Buckley to be honest.

Have you given Grace much of a chance?  It'd be my favourite album from the 90s probably, but it took a really long time to get into for me. 

[Accelerando]

Grace took me a few listens, but I eventually appreciated Jeff Buckley's style and just fell in love with the album.

#9
All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
Explosions In The Sky
2007

This is another album from my college years that really touched me. The album was huge in scope and soundscape, and it captured me on an emotional journey. The atmospheric tone is precedent with a painted rich soundscape of intricately woven guitar work of Munaf Rayani, Mark Smith, and Michael James. The melody is rarely held by a single instrument, and rarely, if ever, reaches into the territory of a solo. Often, all three will play distinct parts, with varied rhythms, that somehow manage to coalesce into a cohesive whole. Reaching, dreamy riffs that bend and collapse into themselves, often dueling between the right and left channels, serve as a propellant into reflective, sparse arrangements that ache with the energy that served to reach that plateau. Much of the intense energy found in their music can be attributed to the phenomenal drum work of Chris Hrasky. He seems to have an innate gift for knowing how to fill the entire work with a sense of longing, and yet having.


The opener is fantastic. "The Birth and Death of the Day" erupts like a volcano, as if violence and noise are threatened from the beginning with distorted chords, feedback, and big crescendos. Space enters before lyricism here, though harmonically everything resonates as one. Then, the undulating rhythms and high, chiming melody fall to a twinkling calm. "It's Natural to Be Afraid" is an epic battle between fear and hope that ends in anxious optimism. It takes over 13 minutes to wind up, down, and around again, but it's an exercise that is rewarding for a patient listener. "What Do You Go Home To?" and "Catastrophe and the Cure" begin with impending doom that, by the end, has vanished in favor of harmoniousness and redemption. "So Long, Lonesome," at under four minutes, closes the album. Its piano lines take a front seat as guitars provide counterpoint and a sonic backdrop, and the tension force field never rises above a four.

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone is a gorgeous post-rock effort, and an album at the peak of my creative efforts in college had some influence towards me. It plays like an epic film; this music sweeps us up with grand gestures and shows us hope amid destruction.

Favorite Tracks: The Birth and Death of the Day, Catastrophe and the Cure, Welcome Ghosts, It's Natural To Be Afraid, So Long, Lonesome

[sneakyblueberry]

Nice!  I'm very familiar with Take Care and The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (I play them while I study) but not this one, I'll definitely try it next. 

[Elite]

Nice pick, though I prefer The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place.

[Accelerando]

Believe it or not, I still need to check out The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place, and also need to add Take Care to that list. I am familiar with their movie compositions though, for Friday Night Lights and Lone Survivor.

[Sacul]

I've had Explosions in the Sky on my to-listen list for a while, so will give them a listen right now .

[Accelerando]

#8
So
Peter Gabriel
1986

It goes with no question that Peter Gabriel is one of the greatest musical minds of the last 50 years. His experimentation and artistic approach is quite uncanny. With So, he went from a cult art rock pioneer to a superstar overnight. Just because he turned to a more commercial approach rather than the dark and moody feel of his past solo albums doesn’t mean he sold out. On the contrary, So has all of the power & passion of Gabriel's previous efforts, but it also has a great warmth to it's songs. It still incorporates the world music and focuses on rhythm progression rather than chord sequences. The traditional form of songwriting found in So paid off.

“Red Rain” opens the album, building slowly over a chorus of drums, subtle synth, and delicate piano. The track sounds like a textbook product of its era, but like the rest of So, it bests most mid ’80s pop rock fodder. “Sledgehammer” at this point needs no introduction, but it’s worth noting the track remains as much a singular achievement of its time now as it did in 1986. “Don’t Give Up”, complimented nicely on the chorus by Kate Bush’s delicate vocal delivery, uses its loose structure and sense of space effectively, while “In Your Eyes” brings Gabriel’s world music leanings around full circle, amounting to one of the finest pop songs of its era. "Mercy Street" is the highlight of the album, a strongly atmospheric setting based on the live and works of the American poet Anne Sexton. The music of the track is dominated by the keyboards working in a more ambient manner than previously. Not a complex composition, this is nevertheless an advanced work of sonic texturing.

So is a rare record that manages to have it both ways, earning its richly deserved critical and commercial respect without giving so much as an artistic inch. It’s a record that outright challenges the conventional wisdom among suits and major label big wigs that pop music has to pander and take shortcuts to be successful, that audiences aren’t sophisticated or savvy enough to pick up on more nuanced musical styles. So might not need the reinforcement, as it still stands on its own two feet as one of the consensus best records of the ’80s

Favorite Tracks: Mercy Street, Sledgehammer, Red Rain, Don't Give Up, In Your Eyes

[sneakyblueberry]

Nice.  I had just bought this on record when my house went up in flames.  Didn't even get to spin the shit

[Accelerando]

Oh no! Did this happen recently?!?

[Accelerando]

#7
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Atmosphere
2008

The 2000’s were a bad time for hip/hop, especially when Soulja Boy, Flo Rida, and Dem Franchiz Boyz were storming the charts and clubs. It seemed like getting crunked was more important to the music industry than making music with substance. Save Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco, mainstream hip/hop was essentially garbage. Luckily, the independent, or underground, scene was kickin. One group put the Midwest movement on the map, and with their fifth release, Atmosphere perhaps made the best hip/hop album I ever heard in 2008, and we call it When Life Gives You Lemons, We Paint That Shit Gold.

Atmosphere has been around since the early 90’s, having released a slew of mixtapes in between their LPs. They’ve been the frontrunners of the underground movement for hip hop for almost 20 years. What I like about this group is that they are storytellers, and in When Life Give You Lemons, we are told stories of drug addiction, single mothers, and waking up hungover. The lyrics are vivid and vibrant, and really compliments the dark ambitious production of grime funk, rock, and electronica.

Atmosphere’s Slug is as fine of an MC as there are today.  He has very unique flows that are above and beyond the monotone of many of his contemporaries. He incorporates a mix of singing and rapping on tracks like “Like The Rest of Us”, “Puppets”, and “Guarantees”, and it makes for very enticing listening throughout. Even when Slug simply raps, there is a lot of world-weariness, pain and, quite often, anger present in his voice that simply isn’t found in many MCs of today. Slug has never been one to gloss over the ugly details, and when his characters are broken, and they all are, to varying degrees.  “Your Glasshouse” is a perfect example, in which it tells of a woman for whom it "ain't the first time throwin' up in a strange toilet," and who then returned to the unknown bed "and fell back asleep." 

Producer/Songwriter/DJ Ant provides backdrops for the raw intensity of Slug’s vocal delivery that reflect the song’s mood and intents to perfection. Most of the songs use live instruments, have a lot of crescendos and breaks which gives the songs more complexity and less of a head nodding groove than a past albums. The full-band approach as a generous amount of funky mixes of keys and killer bass lines, as found on “You” and “Dreamer.” Other times a more experimental approach is taken, such as the synth-centered pieces “The Skinny” and “Can’t Break.”

I like handing this album to folks who are not familiar with hip/hop, especially those with a biased opinion that hip/hop is not music. Atmosphere sweeps all that negativity under the rug and shows how hip/hip flourishes musically and lyrically. There are no bad songs on this album. It's perfect from the first track to the last. When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold is one of the best crafted albums of the last 10 years, and is worth your time to listen to.

Favorite Tracks: Dreamer, Your Glasshouse, Shoulda Known , You, Can't Break

[Outcrier]

The 2000’s were a bad time for hip/hop, especially when Soulja Boy, Flo Rida, and Dem Franchiz Boyz were storming the charts and clubs.

I don't care much for the mainstream (apart from Outkast, Kanye West and some exceptions) so, for me, 2000's was pretty good for hip hop in general (an obviously decline from the 90's though).
At least, for every Soulja Boy and Flo Rida, there was a Madvillainy or The Cold Vein 

[Accelerando]

#6
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Dream Theater
2002

This is the Dream Theater album that really got me into Dream Theater. It really was the album that made me a Dream Theater fan. I was shoveling single songs from previous albums trying to dig into this well loved band. “Glass Prison” won me over on first listen, with it’s metal fury of frightening velocity, and I just absolutely adored the ambition and musical prowess of the second disc that contained one song sliced into eight tracks, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.” I hold Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence in such high regard because it is easily the most tonally, compositionally, and musically complex work Dream Theater ever made, more so than the virtuosic Scenes From A Memory.

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is still Dream Theaters longest album, spanning over 100 minutes. The static noise heard at the end of Scenes From A Memory eases us into “The Glass Prison”, which I previously mentioned is just rockin’. Petrucci and Myung really are the driving force behind this song. Jordan Rudess even provides some great crafty keyboard playing for these brutal riffs. The sweep-picked arpeggio from Petrucci is basically legendary. “Blind Faith” provides some fantastic composed passages and ambient layerings. They keep it simple in this song but still retain sophistication in the ambience of their harmonization. “Misunderstood” contains one of my favorite Dream Theater choruses; moreso at the break about 3:35 into the song. One of my favorite Mike Portnoy drum performances is in the intro to “The Great Debate”, which is one of the albums highlights. With it’s long length, this song still manages to keep you interested from the beginning to end. The first disc ends with “Dissapear”, which is probably the most hauntingly beautiful piece that Dream Theater has ever written. James Labrie’s writing has a lot to do with it, and his lyrics set the mood for the entire piece. 

The second disc is a behemonth of a song. At nearly 45 minutes, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” describes six individuals, each with a certain mental condition. The entire song countervails heavy moments like “The Test That Stumped Them All” and “War Inside My Head” with more solemn and melodic moments like “Solitary Shell and “Goodnight Kiss.” "Overture" is an exhilarating prelude, formed by a grandiose orchestral section, heated interplay, and stormy guitars; it is a shining moment in Jordan Rudess. He really shows he is one of the most inventive keyboardist in progressive metal. He goes through so many different patches rather than sticking to the same tired strings, organs, and pianos.

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is a crowning achievement is Dream Theater’s celebrated history. They push ahead of the pack in terms of creativity and resourcefulness, without ever losing touch with their ability to communicate their sophisticated music to their audience with emotion and sincerity.

Favorite Tracks: The Glass Prison, The Great Debate, War Inside My Head/Test That Stumped Them All, About To Crash (Reprise), Blind Faith

[Sacul]

Oh yeah. This is definitely DT's creative zenith and their most ambitious/experimental album. Words cannot describe how much I love the self-titled song .

[ThatOneGuy2112]

One of DT's true gems.