The Lost Art of the Music Album: What are some of your favorite albums?

Pure Rock and Roll gold.....

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Great choice, thank you!

a reply to: zosimov

I was going to include Zep IV but it doesn't really fit the bill as telling a progressive story with each song, although there is not one dud on the album.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Neither did my choice of rap album (Atliens).. just finely crafted and placed compositions.

Go ahead and add what you want, no rules here!

Seen many great in this post so far. It actually was just today that I realized when reading peoples online dating ads that for a long time I haven't had "favourite" music. There are so many good ones out there. But my contribution to this post would be:

Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds

Great way of bringing this classic to musical record format. I think it should be called War of the Hippies

Mobb Deep: Hell On Earth, The Infamous
Capone N Noreaga: The War Report
Pantera: A Vulgar Display Of Power, Far Beyond Driven
Machine Head: Burn My Eyes
Ghostface Killah: Supreme Clientele, Ironman
Gza: Liquid Swords
Blak Twang: 19 Long Time
MOP: To The Death, Firing Squad, Warriorz
Slayer: Seasons In The Abyss, Divine Intervention
Fear Factory: Demanufacture, Mechanize
Meshuggah: Catch 33
Cormega: The Realness
Nas: Illmatic, It Was Written

a reply to: MagnaCarta2015

Great picks!
I second
Mobb Deep The Infamous
Gza Liquid Swords (and I'll add Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.. Ghostface is the most solid/lasting of all Wu imo though)
Cormega The Realness
Nas Illmatic
Also love Capone N Nore but don't know the whole album, same goes for MOP



Have to check out some of your other choices, although props to you for Pantera.

Here's a couple by artists who have rather messy personal lives, but whose work was excellent:

I couldn't find the full album on youtube, only bits and pieces, but this is true to the album,
and worth a listen/watch if you have never heard it before.


Some others:

a reply to: Darkblade71

Interesting! That album by Jeff Wayne was mentioned in a previous post. I also think it's the only artist I was not yet familiar with. Thanks for the post! Will check him out, definitely!

a reply to: zosimov

It is a masterpiece.

It took War of the worlds and turned it into something almost everyone could listen to, from symphony to rock.

This song off the album is one that I think made the music charts and most people have heard:

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: MagnaCarta2015

Great picks!
I second
Mobb Deep The Infamous
Gza Liquid Swords (and I'll add Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.. Ghostface is the most solid/lasting of all Wu imo though)
Cormega The Realness
Nas Illmatic
Also love Capone N Nore but don't know the whole album, same goes for MOP

Have to check out some of your other choices, although props to you for Pantera.

Mobb Deep murda muzik.
Soundbombing II
ATCQ low end theory
Outkast southernplayisticcadiilacmusic, atliens, aquemini, stankonia
Common resurrection
Wu tang 36 chambers
Nas illmatic
Big pun capital punishment


I have more but these are some of the albums i can listen trhough start to finish.

a reply to: zosimov

My favorite album of all time is The Who Sell Out.

No point in sharing a link because you either know it or you don't.

It's a concept album--it's basically supposed to be like listening to an old skool pirate radio station with jingles and ads in between songs.

There aren't really any hits on this album (maybe, I Can See For Miles,) but the music is so varied and fun and you get a sense of wonderment listening to it. Maybe the fact there aren't any overplayed hits makes it listenable over time. It never gets old.

It's the kind of album that makes me feel like "They just don't make em like this anymore."

Alright maybe I'll post one. This song actually wasn't on the original release, but it was always on my CD copy so it's part of the album as far as I'm concerned.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: MagnaCarta2015

Great picks!
I second
Mobb Deep The Infamous
Gza Liquid Swords (and I'll add Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.. Ghostface is the most solid/lasting of all Wu imo though)
Cormega The Realness
Nas Illmatic
Also love Capone N Nore but don't know the whole album, same goes for MOP

Have to check out some of your other choices, although props to you for Pantera.

Mobb Deep murda muzik.
Soundbombing II
ATCQ low end theory
Outkast southernplayisticcadiilacmusic, atliens, aquemini, stankonia
Common resurrection
Wu tang 36 chambers
Nas illmatic
Big pun capital punishment


I have more but these are some of the albums i can listen trhough start to finish.

Yep, all great albums!
If we're talking good rap albums, I gotta add Above the Law- Uncle Sam's Curse.
Low End Theory is dope, btw

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Thanks for posting! The Who were so creative. Glad to hear your input!

"Songs in the Key of Life"
-Stevie Wonder

Simply mind blowing.

S+F

If we're talking good rap albums

check out skinnyman, council estate of mind. storytelling album and every track is great.

+1 on Sergeant Peppers. you can't really appreciate it until you listen to it cover to cover.

ditto 'Dark Side of the Moon' by Pink Floyd.

and 'Pet Sounds' by the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson). starts with the bright wistful 'Wouldn't it be Nice' and ends with the haunting wailing of 'Caroline No'. #shivers.

a reply to: zosimov

the listener would be entranced from start to finish, and unlikely to skip their least favorite songs as not to disturb the intended effect.

Funny you should specifically mention that.

"I’ve begun listening to a lot more vinyl lately, because I like not being able to skip songs . . . I like putting it on, and I like the idea that there’s a 20-minute suite of music, and then I have to get up and turn it over, and there’s another 20-minute suite of music . . . when you have access to everything, that it’s so easy to say no, no, no, no, skip, skip, skip."

Trent Reznor interview


a reply to: VinylTyrant

I hate the fact music did away with the idea of albums. I'm no fan of the modern day single download.

I agree, but people still put out albums, it's just easier to download the single (easier than buying the single on vinyl or cassette, where you had to take your butt to the store).

That's one reason, besides the music, I like Marilyn Manson. He always puts effort into his albums both musically and artistically (booklets, artwork, packaging, delivery, etc). Each album is deliberate.

This is also a reason I like NIN. While I might not like all of his (newer) albums, they are generally a soundscape and have a concept; there is time and effort put into the art, arrangement, etc. Trent is now releasing all his work on vinyl, and to paraphrase, he said something like this: I want you to take the physical record (vinyl), hold it on your hand, smell it, look at it. Put it on the player, set the needle down, and as the music plays look at the artwork, etc, with your #N phones put down and/or turned off.

Music as as experience.

People have already mentioned Pink Floyd (which is, IMO, probably the best example of concept albums) and some of the Beatles. There's also David Bowie (Outside was a linear concept album), Beck (Morning Light), Ween (Mollusk), Prince, Sigur Ros, Mortiis (The Stargate), Green Day (American Idiot), Bad Religion, Orbital (In Sides, Snivilization, II), and many more.

Now that I think about it, there are still a LOT of albums by true artists that don't detour the easy route of commercial ear candy.

I'd say true artists recognize the difference between music as...an art form, and music that is not solely...a commercial means.

Still, a "lost" art, indeed.