Top 50 Albums, v. ariich

[mizzl]

ABBA's Super Trouper is #1. Just a hunch.

Verily

[King Postwhore]

Great pics Rich.  Deadwing and Grace are top 20 for me.  Both are sonically beautiful.

[Mrbeekle]

I expect to see BE. And Act III - Life and Death. And Darkthrone.

[skydivingninja]

Act III is going to be his number 1, I can feel it.

Number two could be just about anything.  I don't think we've seen PoS though, and he just said Daniel was one of his favorite songwriters...

[ariich]

I expect to see BE. And Act III - Life and Death. And Darkthrone.

Holy first-post-in-years Batman! I know I said to check out the thread but I wasn't actually expecting a post.

[JosephAOI]

I think i'll try one of these in a month or two Although I know hardly anyone will follow it cause I'm not a big PT fan and like other bands not many people here do.
Anyway, great list so far, Rich! There are some bands I definitely don't know but I'll be sure to check them out! 

[Durg]

I think i'll try one of these in a month or two Although I know hardly anyone will follow it cause I'm not a big PT fan and like other bands not many people here do.
Anyway, great list so far, Rich! There are some bands I definitely don't know but I'll be sure to check them out! 

This thread inspired me to do one for myself.  I'm pretty much done but I don't know if there would be any interest in showing it to this board.  Most of the stuff in my 50 will be albums that everyone has heard of.  There may be some obscure ones in there that might throw some people off but I don't know.  I sure don't have the collection that ariich has.

[ariich]

If you guys want to do a top 50 albums, get to the tracker thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=23577.0) and sign up! But you'll have to wait in line I'm afraid.

Durg, there's nothing wrong with most stuff being known already, it's still interesting to see other people's tastes.

[Mrbeekle]

I expect to see BE. And Act III - Life and Death. And Darkthrone.

Holy first-post-in-years Batman! I know I said to check out the thread but I wasn't actually expecting a post.

Yeah, anything to get out of doing some revision!

[Obfuscation]

So far this has been one of the most interesting list of anything that I have ever read. I have just found out about a lot of bands i never of but now have thanks to you and will be checking them out. Also can't wait for you to finish this list.

[Ravenheart]

Durg, there's nothing wrong with most stuff being known already, it's still interesting to see other people's tastes.

Yeah, regardless of predictability, I like reading these lists.

Also, Rich, update plz.

[glaurung]

I think i'll try one of these in a month or two Although I know hardly anyone will follow it cause I'm not a big PT fan and like other bands not many people here do.
Anyway, great list so far, Rich! There are some bands I definitely don't know but I'll be sure to check them out!  

As long as it isn't something like the Backstreet Boys that is to be encouraged.

[zxlkho]

Rebecca Black!

[pain of occupation]

i must say, this thread was (and continues to be) well done. i would also say fairly impressive in how quickly it was done up.

lots of new stuff to check out...i'd been meaning to delve into the flower kings for the better part of a decade. after just hearing small bits here and there over the years, i finally sat down and took in Stardust We Are last night, at ariich's suggestion (so to speak)...it was a lot to take in at once, but i gotta say, there sure was some fantastic/interesting stuff on there.

[ariich]

[AcidLameLTE]

Adultery better be number 1 as well as the other position it appeared in your list.

[ariich]

So, here we go:


2. Pain of Salvation – Be [2004]

Inb4Nickrage. When this album first came out I was just completely amazed by it! The music is wonderful, and some of PoS's best songs are on here. The album flows majestically as well, and the more unusual things like spoken word sections are used so cleverly throughout. But what really makes it stand out above the pack is the concept. The amount of thought and research that went into it is phenomenal, and while that had the potential to create something that sounded too scholarly, what resulted is actually a very powerful series of lyrics that covers some really huge themes and really makes the listener think. I can see why some people won't like it – it's not entirely accessible and it's pretty different to... well, everything really. But for me, it was an ambitious idea that was executed with absolute mastery of music and lyrics. For a while this was my all-time favourite album, but it was eventually usurped.

And of course, that can leave only one remaining album...

















































1. True Symphonic Rockestra – Concerto in True Minor [2008]

What a beautifully arranged series of covers! The idea of making generic rock and metal versions of classical, jazz and Broadway musical songs was pretty much guaranteed success, but they exceeded even my high expectations with such incredibly tasteful arrangements that aren't at all just a series of palm-muted guitar parts with some tacky keyboard string sounds mimicking the original orchestral parts. James LaBrie shines and completely blows away the professionally trained classical tenors (not rock tenors, interestingly), who incidentally also sing in a style that melds really well into the generic rock and metal idea. And to cap it all off, the cover artwork is simply wonderful, and both the band name and album title are great and not at all completely retarded. Absolute perfection!

[Jirpo]

 

Nice list!

[Ravenheart]

BE is a spectacular album. It took awhile to grow on me, but it slowly revealed itself to be most excellent.

I'm working my way up to fully appreciating and understanding the dense, experimental, mysterious sounds of True Symphony Rockestra.

[Zantera]

"Meh".

[jag66]

Nice trolling 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Great choice for #2 for PoS! As for #1, never heard.

[Ħ]

Great choice for #2 for PoS! As for #1, never heard.

Feast your ears: https://grooveshark.com/#/s/America/2OjFkS?src=5

[Portrucci]

what is going on

[ariich]

Some more classics:

https://grooveshark.com/s/O+Sole+Mio/2OjE4m?src=5

https://grooveshark.com/s/With+A+Song+In+My+Heart/2OjF4j?src=5

https://grooveshark.com/s/Tonight/2OjB9d?src=5

So beautiful.

[Ħ]

Nice trolling 

Looks like someone doesn't have the musical refinery to appreciate the true musical wonders of opera.

[ariich]

Ok so as some of you have somehow managed to work out, that was actually a fake #1. TSR is actually the most horrible thing I have ever had the misfortune to listen to, and that’s coming from someone who LOVES genre-shifting in cover songs. I have no idea who Dirk Ulrich is, but for creating this monstrosity, he should be hung, drawn and quartered.


1. The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death [2009]

I'm sure this comes as no surprise whatsoever to many of you, but as far as I’m concerned, this album achieves a rare thing – perfection. Which isn’t to say that I WOULD change anything in the majority of the albums in this list, but as I’m sure most people will agree, even the best albums have moments here and there where on some listens, a particular riff feels like it’s repeated a few too many times, or an ambient section goes on a little long and your attention starts to drift, that sort of thing. This is the only album I’ve ever heard where on every single listen (and it’s a lot now) I have not felt that way about a single moment. It is the most perfectly-paced album in existence, and that in itself is just the icing on the cake. The underlying songs themselves are just incredible. The music is big and strong and really powerful, but at the same time is not afraid to be cool and groovy. As my dad put it when he first heard The Dear Hunter, “they swing!”. (You’ll have to forgive him, he’s from a different generation). The folky-proggy-post-hardcore base is there but the way they incorporate other influences and instruments has always been great and on this album achieved outright brilliance. It also takes the lyrical concept to a new level, with the protagonist going to war making everything that much more intense, and I think the music stepping up a notch in intensity reflects that perfectly. I haven’t had a “favourite band” in years, but with this album (and considering the already high quality of everything else they’ve done), I think TDH have laid claim to that position, at least for the time being. Even though I can’t imagine them or anyone else releasing something better than this, I will continue to get everything else they make with great excitement and anticipation.

Well done to Ravenheart and mrbeekle (who is my brother, by the way, and so possibly had an advantage) for figuring out my top 2!


So, that top 50 list in full:
50. Kings of Convenience - Riot on an Empty Street [2004]
49. Metallica - …And Justice For All [1988]
48. The Antlers – Hospice [2009]
47. Regina Spektor – Soviet Kitsch [2004]
46. In Flames – Colony [1999]
45. Oscar Peterson - Night Train [1963]
44. The Dear Hunter – Act II: The Meaning Of, & All Things Regarding Ms. Leading [2007]
43. Shpongle – Nothing Lasts… But Nothing is Lost [2005]
42. Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns [2010]
41. Opeth – Ghost Reveries [2005]
40. Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life [1976]
39. Dog Fashion Disco - Adultery [2006]
38. Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head [2006]
37. Radiohead – OK Computer [1997]
36. Danny Elfman - Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas [1993]
35. Devin Townsend – Addicted! [2009]
34. The Cat Empire – So Many Nights [2007]
33. Bad Religion – Stranger Than Fiction [1994]
32. The Flower Kings – Stardust We Are [1997]
31. Wolverine – Cold Light of Monday [2003]
30. The Evpatoria Report – Golevka [2005]
29. Haken – Aquarius [2010]
28. Frost* - Experiments in Mass Appeal [2008]
27. Frost* - Milliontown [2006]
26. Thrice – The Alchemy Index [2007-8]
25. Porcupine Tree – Stupid Dream [1999]
24. Karmakanic – Who’s the Boss in the Factory [2008]
23. Amorphis – Silent Waters [2007]
22. Pain of Salvation – The Perfect Element I [2000]
21. John Coltrane - Blue Train [1958]
20. Dream Theater – Images and Words [1992]
19. Fair to Midland - Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True [2007]
18. Queen – Innuendo [1991]
17. Devin Townsend – Terria [2001]
16. The River Empires – The River Empires (Epilogue) [2010]
15. Muse – Absolution [2003]
14. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King [1969]
13. Tower of Power – Soul Vaccination: Live [1999]
12. Dream Theater – Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence [2002]
11. Thrice – Beggars [2009]
10. Shpongle – Tales of the Inexpressible [2001]
9. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here [1975]
8. Opeth – Blackwater Park [2001]
7. The Flower Kings – Paradox Hotel [2006]
6. Ulver – Perdition City [2000]
5. BT – This Binary Universe [2006]
4. Porcupine Tree – Deadwing [2005]
3. Jeff Buckley – Grace [1994]
2. Pain of Salvation – Be [2004]
1. The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death [2009]

[Zantera]

Great choice for number 1, love that album myself. 

[Portrucci]

Act III is a fucking masterpiece. awesome album  

[Jamesman42]

Cannot wait to hear that TDH album post-roulette.

[ariich]

Oh also, in addition, I've also done two honourable mentions lists, one for albums that were very nearly included, and the other for albums that I discovered recently and love, but haven't listened enough to know whether they'll be top 50 material in the long run.

Honourable Mentions:

Just missed out:
Bizali – Thanks Anna [2009]
Michel Camilo – One More Once [1994]
The Dear Hunter – Act I: The Lake South, the River North [2006]
Evergrey – The Inner Circle [2004]
Sarah McLachlan – Afterglow [2003]
Queen – Made in Heaven [1995]
Return to Forever – Romantic Warrior [1976]
Silverchair – Neon Ballroom [1999]
Regina Spektor – Far [2009]
Ulver – Blood Inside [2005]

Amazing albums that may have made it, but I haven't listened enough yet:
Alcest – Écailles de lune [2010]
Emilie Autumn – Opheliac [2006]
dredg – The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion [2009]
God Is an Astronaut – God Is an Astronaut [2008]
Hiromi – Voice [2011]
Brad Mehldau – Highway Rider [2010]
This Will Destroy You – This Will Destroy You [2008]

[Zantera]

List clearly needs more Oceansize.

[ariich]

I love Frames, but it was never really in the running for my top 50 I'm afraid. I still need to check out their earlier albums.

[ClairvoyantCat]

Silverchair – Neon Ballroom [1999]

Woah, awesome, good to see some Silverchair showing up over here.  Have you heard Diorama, perchance?  In my opinion that one is far and away their best.

[Jirpo]

Alright, lets have everyones opinions on their fave album from the list!

Mine is ...And Justice for All, in my top 10 all time