clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2015-10-07 01:49 pm
clevermanka) wrote2015-10-07 01:49 pm
Entry tags:
Nine albums
I just posted this to my Tumblr, but thought I'd recreate it here, if people wanted to comment. I've adjusted for LJ formats, usernames, and applicability.
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write_out and splix both tagged me ages ago for this, and I am a bit embarrassed it took me so long to respond but not too embarrassed to do it, obviously.
Music is hugely important to me, as you’ll probably infer from my long-winded explanations of my choices, under the cut. But favorites are so difficult for me since my tastes are mercurial and largely dependent on my mood (which is also changeable from moment to moment). So let’s go with what I would claim today to be my favorite nine albums (tomorrow it could be different). Alphabetically, because after the emotional work of picking them at all, there’s no way I can additionally rank them.
The 2nd Law, Muse. When I feel like listening to Muse, I feel like listening to Muse, and I often settle in for an all-day listening love affair of their entire oeuvre (with the exception of their latest, Drones, in which I was immeasurably disappointed). I picked this album, not because I think it’s their best, but because it’s the first Muse album I ever heard in its entirety--so it holds a special place in my heart. While under the influence of various chemicals one weekend, I might have created an entire musical in my head that incorporated all the songs in the order that they appear on this album.
Alternative, Pet Shop Boys. Of all the 80s bands I’ve known and loved, Pet Shop Boys have remained the most constantly relevant to me. This double-album of all 30 of their B-Sides beats every single one of their other albums for variety, consistency, and musicality, and I’m including their various compilation albums in that consideration. Every time I listen to this album, I’m amazed that it’s a collection their B-sides, not their hits. The second disc is my favorite, mostly for the songs “It Must Be Obvious” and “Shameless.”
Chess, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice. Original London Cast only. The American version is an abomination. I needed to include a musical theater soundtrack here. It was a tough call between this and Jesus Christ Superstar (the original UK album with Murray Head, who also appears in this version of Chess). The story is terribly dated and I don’t think it has the same emotional impact to people who didn’t live through the Cold War, but the music and lyrics are gorgeous. Also, both female parts are altos. NICE.
Conditions of My Parole, Puscifer. It was a tough call between this and their album V is for Vagina. This one wins just barely, IMO, because it’s slightly more cohesive and more diverse at the same time--a tricky feat. This album is simultaneously mystical, sexual, and terrifying. If you ever want to give yourself a magical auditory experience, listen to the entire thing with no distractions (a good, loud stereo system is recommended, but quality headphones will do in a pinch) and then let it loop back to the first song to start playing again. Just trust me. Yes.
Copper Blue, Sugar. I’m a Bob Mould fan, but this is the only Sugar album I really like. Wow, though, do I like it a lot. I think because it’s more similar to his solo work. The lyrics are dark, occasionally bordering on grim, with deceptively light music (light for Bob Mould, anyway). This album got me through one of the worst breakups of my life, and I can still enjoy listening to it despite associating it with that era. For that alone it deserves a spot on this list.
Hot Fuss, The Killers. Does this one really need an explanation? It gets my vote as one of the best debut albums by any band, ever. It took me a while to get around to buying it, but once I did, I listened to it non-stop for like three weeks.
Songs for Stolen Moments, The Latenight Callers. Full disclosure, I am friends with this band (not like “hey I met them and we hung out once” but as in “I have the home phone numbers of all but one of the members”). That’s absolutely not why I’m including them in this list, though. Honestly, I think they’re one of the best bands out there right now and in a perfect world they would have hit the big time after the release of their first EP. Their music is sexy, witty, complex, and unusual. I’m including a link to their website, where they have streaming audio of their music. You can figure out for yourself why I included them here.
Rated R, Rihanna. Rihanna is my favorite of the reigning Pop/Rock Queens and this is my favorite of her albums. Even the remix album is good and I am not a remix fan. I love songs about anger and angst and this album has both in spades while still being one of the sexiest albums I have ever heard.
Vegas, Crystal Method. I needed to include some electronica on here because I listen to a lot of electronica. Crystal Method is my favorite of this genre, and this is my favorite of their albums. I think it’s the most accessible/easy to listen which I sure would cause Some People to rank it lower, but fuck those people. It was an easy pick for the last slot, here.
Obviously the tags I put on there aren't applicable here, but I would love to see responses from people who either aren't on Tumblr, or who I didn't tag there. Hm. Now that I think of it, I should have limited my tagging to people who are only on Tumblr, and then tagged the LJ-also people, here.
DANG.
write_out and splix both tagged me ages ago for this, and I am a bit embarrassed it took me so long to respond but not too embarrassed to do it, obviously. Music is hugely important to me, as you’ll probably infer from my long-winded explanations of my choices, under the cut. But favorites are so difficult for me since my tastes are mercurial and largely dependent on my mood (which is also changeable from moment to moment). So let’s go with what I would claim today to be my favorite nine albums (tomorrow it could be different). Alphabetically, because after the emotional work of picking them at all, there’s no way I can additionally rank them.
The 2nd Law, Muse. When I feel like listening to Muse, I feel like listening to Muse, and I often settle in for an all-day listening love affair of their entire oeuvre (with the exception of their latest, Drones, in which I was immeasurably disappointed). I picked this album, not because I think it’s their best, but because it’s the first Muse album I ever heard in its entirety--so it holds a special place in my heart. While under the influence of various chemicals one weekend, I might have created an entire musical in my head that incorporated all the songs in the order that they appear on this album.
Alternative, Pet Shop Boys. Of all the 80s bands I’ve known and loved, Pet Shop Boys have remained the most constantly relevant to me. This double-album of all 30 of their B-Sides beats every single one of their other albums for variety, consistency, and musicality, and I’m including their various compilation albums in that consideration. Every time I listen to this album, I’m amazed that it’s a collection their B-sides, not their hits. The second disc is my favorite, mostly for the songs “It Must Be Obvious” and “Shameless.”
Chess, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice. Original London Cast only. The American version is an abomination. I needed to include a musical theater soundtrack here. It was a tough call between this and Jesus Christ Superstar (the original UK album with Murray Head, who also appears in this version of Chess). The story is terribly dated and I don’t think it has the same emotional impact to people who didn’t live through the Cold War, but the music and lyrics are gorgeous. Also, both female parts are altos. NICE.
Conditions of My Parole, Puscifer. It was a tough call between this and their album V is for Vagina. This one wins just barely, IMO, because it’s slightly more cohesive and more diverse at the same time--a tricky feat. This album is simultaneously mystical, sexual, and terrifying. If you ever want to give yourself a magical auditory experience, listen to the entire thing with no distractions (a good, loud stereo system is recommended, but quality headphones will do in a pinch) and then let it loop back to the first song to start playing again. Just trust me. Yes.
Copper Blue, Sugar. I’m a Bob Mould fan, but this is the only Sugar album I really like. Wow, though, do I like it a lot. I think because it’s more similar to his solo work. The lyrics are dark, occasionally bordering on grim, with deceptively light music (light for Bob Mould, anyway). This album got me through one of the worst breakups of my life, and I can still enjoy listening to it despite associating it with that era. For that alone it deserves a spot on this list.
Hot Fuss, The Killers. Does this one really need an explanation? It gets my vote as one of the best debut albums by any band, ever. It took me a while to get around to buying it, but once I did, I listened to it non-stop for like three weeks.
Songs for Stolen Moments, The Latenight Callers. Full disclosure, I am friends with this band (not like “hey I met them and we hung out once” but as in “I have the home phone numbers of all but one of the members”). That’s absolutely not why I’m including them in this list, though. Honestly, I think they’re one of the best bands out there right now and in a perfect world they would have hit the big time after the release of their first EP. Their music is sexy, witty, complex, and unusual. I’m including a link to their website, where they have streaming audio of their music. You can figure out for yourself why I included them here.
Rated R, Rihanna. Rihanna is my favorite of the reigning Pop/Rock Queens and this is my favorite of her albums. Even the remix album is good and I am not a remix fan. I love songs about anger and angst and this album has both in spades while still being one of the sexiest albums I have ever heard.
Vegas, Crystal Method. I needed to include some electronica on here because I listen to a lot of electronica. Crystal Method is my favorite of this genre, and this is my favorite of their albums. I think it’s the most accessible/easy to listen which I sure would cause Some People to rank it lower, but fuck those people. It was an easy pick for the last slot, here.
Obviously the tags I put on there aren't applicable here, but I would love to see responses from people who either aren't on Tumblr, or who I didn't tag there. Hm. Now that I think of it, I should have limited my tagging to people who are only on Tumblr, and then tagged the LJ-also people, here.
DANG.
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No country?
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I thought it was simply "favorite album" re: all music, or at least most are what speaks to you personally.
I'm so checking out all these choices of yours since I'm not familiar with them.. thank you!
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But you have sort of challenged me to see if there really are any cohesive country albums. The only one I can think of right off the top of my head is Dwight Yoakam's Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room. It's all about heartache and loss, starting from the beginnings of innocent happy love, (I Got You) through jealousy (One More Name), suspicion, (What I Don't Know) pain of the loss of loyalty, (Home of the Blues), and then straight to murder (title track, Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses). The second side speaks to me of returning from that murderous madness. He avoids another heartache by leaving before he gets too deep (I Hear You Knockin'), lands up holding a dying friend (I Sang Dixie); and lives through a stint in jail (Streets of Bakersfield). At this point, observing the funeral of a well-loved man gives him hope for the future (Floyd County), a new try at love (Send Me the Pillow) and back to sanity and hope for redemption, in ending the album with a gospel song (Hold On To God) dedicated to his mother.
Shades of "Momma Tried" in the journey, perhaps?
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Oh, we should talk!
(I thought I magically had an icon from the musical, but alas it is not.)
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