Author Topic: KevShmev's Top 50 Albums!!!! (Number 1!!!!) (Read 27984 times)

KevShmev · « **Reply #140 on:** July 27, 2013, 11:00:26 AM »

17. The Police - Synchronicity (1983)

This had to be top 20. It was the first full-length vinyl I ever owned, and it is still an album I love listening to pretty often. Considering how important this album was to me, it might have been top 10 if tracks 4 and 8 were stronger, but I was never overly crazy about King of Pain, and even though I don't think Mother is as positively awful as many do, it still is not very good. But everything else on this record is dynamite, and they are one of a handful of bands that went out on top.

Favorite songs: Synchronicity II, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Synchronicity I, Walking in Your Footsteps and O My God

16. Boston - Boston (1976)

This was THE album that got me into classic rock. I cut grass with my older cousin Tim in the summers of '89 and '90, and he always had classic rock stations on, so I got familiar with a lot of classic rock that way. I still remember the first time I heard Foreplay/Long Time; it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I ran out the next day and used my grass-cutting money to buy the first Boston album on cassette, and for weeks, all I listened to was Foreplay/Long Time (which was placed as the last track on Side 2 of the cassette). Once I got around to listening to the whole thing, which took some prodding from my cousin, who kept telling me, "Every song is great," there was no doubt in my mind that Boston was one of the best albums ever.

Favorite songs: Foreplay/Long Time, Hitch a Ride, More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind and Smokin'

15. Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets (1998)

Yes, this album by Dave Matthews Band really is that awesome. Without a doubt. I only knew What Would You Say by them for years, and that song never did much for me back then, but when Before These Crowded Streets came out, my brother Mark loved it and told me how good it was, but I was like, "Meh, no interest." But he insisted on playing me the three song run of The Stone, Crush and The Dreaming Tree. Suffice it to say, I was shocked at how great all three of those songs were, and I was like, "Wow, is this the same band??" It wasn't long before I had my own copy on CD, and the rest of the record is absolutely fantastic as well. With eight of the 11 songs being over six minutes (four of which being over seven minutes), this album is by far the most they have ever stretched out, and you could even call this album epic.

Favorite songs: The Dreaming Tree, The Stone, Don't Drink the Water, Crush and Rapunzel

Jaq · « **Reply #141 on:** July 27, 2013, 11:07:46 AM »

Not too fond of DMB, Synchronicity is amazing-I think it's probably the best mainstream rock album of the 80s-but my love for Boston's debut is unparalleled. More Than A Feeling has been my all time favorite song for over 30 years now, and Boston's debut is the best album that came out in 1976, the year I consider the single best year for rock music ever. (A top 50 list of mine would have as many as 10 albums that came out in 1976, and two of them-Boston and Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak-would be top ten.) Boston is timeless.

senecadawg2 · « **Reply #142 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:14:48 PM »

I like DMB, but I feel that they get a little samey after a while.

TAC · « **Reply #143 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:25:02 PM »

Quote from: Jaq on July 27, 2013, 11:07:46 AM

Not too fond of DMB, Synchronicity is amazing-I think it's probably the best mainstream rock album of the 80s-but my love for Boston's debut is unparalleled. More Than A Feeling has been my all time favorite song for over 30 years now, and Boston's debut is the best album that came out in 1976, the year I consider the single best year for rock music ever. (A top 50 list of mine would have as many as 10 albums that came out in 1976, and two of them-Boston and Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak-would be top ten.) Boston is timeless.

Jaq, you need to do a Top 50!

Boston is great! and yes, 1976 was a great year.

Mladen · « **Reply #144 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:26:07 PM »

Boston is a damn good classic rock album, but I prefer the two albums that followed.

KevShmev · « **Reply #145 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:34:45 PM »

Quote from: Mladen on July 27, 2013, 12:26:07 PM

Boston is a damn good classic rock album, but I prefer the two albums that followed.

Now there is something you don't hear very often...

Quote from: TAC on July 27, 2013, 12:25:02 PM

Jaq, you need to do a Top 50!

Amen to that!

Quote from: senecadawg2 on July 27, 2013, 12:14:48 PM

I like DMB, but I feel that they get a little samey after a while.

I agree, but what does that have to do with Before These Crowded Streets? DMB didn't get samey until well into the 00s.

nicmos · « **Reply #146 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:54:58 PM »

I'm actually surprised you don't have Boston higher. It is certainly one of the top albums of the 70s. I don't get how Tom Scholz wasn't able to recapture the awesomeness that is on that debut. So disappointing we didn't get more quality work from them.

Lolzeez · « **Reply #147 on:** July 27, 2013, 12:57:47 PM »

Quote from: Mladen on July 27, 2013, 12:26:07 PM

Boston is a damn good classic rock album, but I prefer the two albums that followed.

You're first person I've ever seen whose favorite isn't the debut.

jingle.boy · « **Reply #148 on:** July 27, 2013, 01:22:22 PM »

I too am not a big fan of DMB. Boston's s/t was #15 on my list. Best debut ever ... screw GnR that outsold this as the best selling debut (not sure if that's still the case). Synchronicity is filled with gems.

Another grand update. I suspect it's only gonna get better from here.

Jaq · « **Reply #149 on:** July 27, 2013, 05:54:28 PM »

Quote from: TAC on July 27, 2013, 12:25:02 PM

Quote from: Jaq on July 27, 2013, 11:07:46 AM
Not too fond of DMB, Synchronicity is amazing-I think it's probably the best mainstream rock album of the 80s-but my love for Boston's debut is unparalleled. More Than A Feeling has been my all time favorite song for over 30 years now, and Boston's debut is the best album that came out in 1976, the year I consider the single best year for rock music ever. (A top 50 list of mine would have as many as 10 albums that came out in 1976, and two of them-Boston and Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak-would be top ten.) Boston is timeless.
Jaq, you need to do a Top 50!

I lost my taste for lists a while ago.

I have no problem putting together a top 10, but I'd have a lot of trouble once I got down to about 25 or so making a list. If I can ever manage to put together 50 albums in a reasonable order, and then actually think of fifty entries, I might give it a shot though.

Actually, when I sat down to do it, I could have done a Top 100. I'll take a crack when the next what, six or so people are done?

Nel · « **Reply #150 on:** July 27, 2013, 06:28:23 PM »

Synchronicity is my favorite Police album, and Boston's first album is awesome too!

Big Hath · « **Reply #151 on:** July 27, 2013, 07:22:57 PM »

three great ones there!

Miss Gradenko is so quirky and fun. It is one of my favorites from the album along with Wrapped Around Your Finger and Synchronicity II.

That DMB album is really good. Crush is easily my favorite from that album.

KevShmev · « **Reply #152 on:** July 27, 2013, 10:24:11 PM »

Two more tonight, I'll do two more tomorrow, and then the top 10 will begin on Monday.

14. Yes - The Yes Album (1971)

It was tough deciding on a particular Yes album, but while I think Close to the Edge is THE definitive Yes album, The Yes Album was the first 70s Yes album I heard, so it was what got me into their classic stuff, and it is probably the one I still listen to the most. Starship Trooper absolutely blew my mind to shreds when I first heard it back in the day, and the latter half of I've Seen All Good People was stuck in my head for weeks after the first time I heard it.

Favorite songs: Starship Trooper, Yours Is No Disgrace, I've Seen All Good People and Perpetual Change

13. Queensrÿche - Promised Land (1994)

I was a moderate fan of this band in the early 90s - I like most of the Empire hits, and I liked what I had heard of Mindcrime, but nothing they had done had really wowed me. Then Promised Land came out. And the funny thing is, I didn't know what to make it. I like some of it, but some of it really seemed "out there," and yet I continually went back to it over and over, and before I knew it, I was loving every single minute of it. 1994 was a very special musical year for me, for a variety of reasons, and Promised Land is one of those reasons. The tour for this album was absolutely amazing, too. I can still listen to this and take a major ass-kicking.

Favorite songs: Damaged, Promised Land, Out of Mind, Lady Jane, I Am I and Someone Else?

Tom Bombadil · « **Reply #153 on:** July 27, 2013, 10:28:55 PM »

the yes album is fantastic. Glad to see it so high on your list.

jjrock88 · « **Reply #154 on:** July 27, 2013, 10:39:16 PM »

I agree with that QR release. It would make my top 20. The first time I heard it, I thought it was weird and out there. But I kept going back to it. It still is weird and out there, but also very cool and addicting to listen to. The title track is pure epic and awesome. Great choice.

Mladen · « **Reply #155 on:** July 28, 2013, 03:02:53 AM »

Good ones, especially The Yes Album.

Jaq · « **Reply #156 on:** July 28, 2013, 05:43:06 AM »

When I was putting together my first draft of my top 50 last night, I struggled fairly mightily with what my favorite Yes album was. I'll spoil one item on my list now by saying it was Close to the Edge, but The Yes Album is so close, it might very well wind up being in that spot when it actually gets around to being my turn.

As for Promised Land-I have to say I'm consistent about it. I didn't like it when it was released. I didn't like it when I went back to it a few months later thinking "Oh, it's a grower, go back and try again." I've never liked it. The departure of Chris DeGarmo and Geoff Tate taking over with his outside writer friends is when most people say QR lost the plot, but I honestly think even if DeGarmo had stayed, they were losing the plot. Empire was the last QR album I liked until the self titled. And yeah, I know, those are fighting words!

jingle.boy · « **Reply #157 on:** July 28, 2013, 06:38:40 AM »

The Yes Album is definitely one of the most classic, and band-defining albums there ever was.

PL, excellent album, but definitely 3rd when it comes to QR albums for me. I dig it start to finish (except maybe My Global Mind)

update

KevShmev · « **Reply #158 on:** July 28, 2013, 09:57:26 AM »

12. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound (1973)

I didn't get into classic Genesis until many years after I had already gotten into the other classic 70s prog bands, and doing so was almost an accident. I remember reading somewhere about how great those early albums were, so one of my brothers bought me Selling England by the Pound as one of my Christmas presents one year (maybe 1999?), and when I listened to it, I was immediately taken with it; the first song, Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, was a major grabber. By the time I was finished listening to the whole thing, I knew I was gonna be listening to a lot of Genesis for the long haul. And I sure have.

Favorite songs: The Cinema Show, Firth of Fifth, Dancing with the Moonlight Knight and After the Ordeal

11. The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)

Getting into this album was almost an accident, too. I had loved the Beatles since growing up listening to Sgt. Pepper, and later The White Album (thanks to my cousin Tim playing it one day during one of our lawn-cutting excursions), but for whatever reason, I never dug deeper into the other studio albums until the mid 90s or so. I remember hearing Something on the radio or something, and I thought it was great, but I had no idea what the name of the song was. It took me a few days to find out (and I was like, "Duhhhh!', when I found out

), and I then bought Abbey Road. I already knew Come Together, and I was aware of the rep the album had, but I was not expecting the awesomeness that followed when I listened to it, especially Side 2. I then ended up getting Revolver, Rubber Soul and a few others shortly thereafter, thanks to Abbey Road, which brought me from being a casual Beatles fan to a huge one.

Favorite songs: Something, Here Comes the Sun, Golden Slumbers, She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, Mean Mr. Mustard and Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Tom Bombadil · « **Reply #159 on:** July 28, 2013, 10:09:04 AM »

These are some excellent albums here!! Selling England might crack my top 10 and abbey road probably top 25. Love this list man

Dream Team · « **Reply #160 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:36:53 AM »

I think Abbey Road is by far the Beatles' greatest work. Nice pick.

Lolzeez · « **Reply #161 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:54:04 AM »

Selling England to me is perfection. Just utter perfection.

Mladen · « **Reply #162 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:07:13 PM »

Great albums once again.

Also, it's interesting how you keep picking incredible bands, but never my favorites from them.

KevShmev · « **Reply #163 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:19:59 PM »

Here is a fun little game: Can anyone correctly guess the remaining 10 artists? The ones that will make up the top 10? I would think anyone who knows me and my tastes should be able to guess most or all of them. A recap of 50-11:

50. Steely Dan - Aja
49. Sigur Rós - ( )
48. Van Halen - Van Halen
47. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
46. Emerson Lake & Palmer - Emerson Lake & Palmer
45. Extreme - III Sides to Every Story
44. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
43. Pet Shops Boys - Fundamental
42. Metallica - Master of Puppets
41. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
40. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
39. INXS - Kick
38. dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
37. The Decemberists - Picaresque
36. The Who - Tommy
35. Jeff Beck - Blow by Blow
34. Arcade Fire - Funeral
33. Peter Gabriel - Up
32. Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance
31. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
30. Blue Öyster Cult - Cultosaurus Erectus
29. Spock's Beard - V
28. Triumvirat - Spartacus
27. Neal Morse - Testimony Two
26. Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
25. Opeth - Still Life
24. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
23. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment
22. Camel - Moonmadness
21. The Moody Blues - In Search of the Lost Chord
20. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
19. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
18. Styx - Pieces of Eight
17. The Police - Synchronicity
16. Boston - Boston
15. Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets
14. Yes - The Yes Album
13. Queensrÿche - Promised Land
12. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
11. The Beatles - Abbey Road

Shadow Ninja 2.0 · « **Reply #164 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:21:40 PM »

I think it's safe to assume we will see some Dream Theater? Beyond that, I can't really guess.

SomeoneLikeHim · « **Reply #165 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:29:34 PM »

I would say DT, The Flower Kings, Porcupine Tree, Rush and Marillion are likely.

KevShmev · « **Reply #166 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:31:54 PM »

I could do a top 200 albums, with no repeating artists, and I don't think Marillion would make it.

Shadow Ninja 2.0 · « **Reply #167 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:32:41 PM »

edited for my amusement

SomeoneLikeHim · « **Reply #168 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:33:12 PM »

Oh well, for some reason I thought I thought you were a fan

KevShmev · « **Reply #169 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:34:35 PM »

Not at all. Marillion and Pain of Salvation are my two biggest failures ever, considering I gave them both tons of attention, but never took much of a liking to either, outside of a few songs by each.

SomeoneLikeHim · « **Reply #170 on:** July 28, 2013, 12:36:12 PM »

I love both myself but I guess we can't all have a perfect taste in music

Tom Bombadil · « **Reply #171 on:** July 28, 2013, 02:24:14 PM »

Definitely expecting DT and Porcupine Tree. Maybe some King Crimson since you seem to like 70s prog. Not sure about any others but I'm excited to find out. And I can't get into Pain of Salvation either.

nicmos · « **Reply #172 on:** July 28, 2013, 07:12:35 PM »

I will bet my entire salary for next year that Rush will be somewhere in the top 10.

Jaq · « **Reply #173 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:54:57 PM »

Abbey Road.

And within a few places of where it's standing on my rough draft top 50 to boot. Not too shabby. As for the Genesis album-right now my favorite Gabriel era album is Foxtrot, but it HAS been Selling England By The Pound. Just an amazing album.

KevShmev · « **Reply #174 on:** July 28, 2013, 11:57:44 PM »

Before I get into the top 10 later today/tomorrow, here are some honorable mentions:

King Crimson - The Power to Believe
Heart - Dreamboat Annie
Roger Waters - Amused to Death
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
Asia - Asia
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
David Gilmour - On an Island
Blackfield - Blackfield II
Billy Joel - The Stranger
Triumph - Allied Forces
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Cutting Crew - The Broadcast
Ayreon - The Dream Sequencer
Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
David Bowie - Low
Kaïpa - Keyholder
Damn Yankees - Don't Tread
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Texas Flood
Michael Jackson - Thriller

News: Video of online chat between fans and members of Dream Theater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8cLlXnHpA&feature=youtu.be (*no chickens were harmed during the filming of this chat)

Author Topic: KevShmev's Top 50 Albums!!!! (Number 1!!!!) (Read 27984 times)