Favourite original album?

[Ryan]

Hello all!

It's becoming increasingly apparent that nobody appreciates the "album" anymore, and that's no surprise when a lot of the music out now is so atrocious that people refuse to spend money on them. But there's something incredibly satisfying about a beautifully crafted album, like a great collection of poetry or short stories in which every piece adds something to the others and gives the artist a voice. Think of the Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, or The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy ... both had a style and every poem contributed to the whole. I miss the days when music albums were like this. Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles), 21 (Adele), Thriller (Michael Jackson), Legend (Bob Marley) and Bat out of Hell (Meatloaf) are just a few examples of my favourite original albums, but there are so many more amazing ones to name.

I think it's time we gave the Album some love and much needed attention, and some time to appreciate its craft. Let us know which are your favourite original albums.

[Gravy]

Shawn Mullins' Soul's Core

[Ryan]

Shawn Mullins' Soul's Core

I always thought he looked a lot like Kurt Cobain in his younger years

[Gravy]

Shawn Mullins' Soul's Core

I always thought he looked a lot like Kurt Cobain in his younger years

Yeah

-- 13 Nov 2014, 18:17 --

Mumford And Sons 'Sigh No More'

[hannahbm13]

Alt-J's "An Awesome Wave" is beautiful once you can learn to appreciate it.

[dickens 100]

I grew up with music, managing a record shop and the album was more important than the single then
New Order's classic 1985 album Low Life is my favourite.

[DATo]

OK, this is going to sound nuts, but my favorite album of all time was the last album made by The Mammas and the Papas. It was titled People Like Us. The critics panned it so harshly that I was able to buy two albums for a total of $2 at a five and dime. They were practically giving them away. Now the thing of it is this group knew that this would be their last album together as they were making it, and though they were resigned to splitting up I think they put something special - something I am hard pressed to define - into it. It is very subtle but I thought this was the most maturely presented album of their careers together. It is both glorious and sad at the same time. There are tracks of this album on You Tube if anyone is inclined to listen to them.

[zeldas_lullaby]

I can't even choose one, but these are the ones I was raised on:

Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
Songs From the Big Chair by Tears for Fears
The Best of the Alan Parsons Project
We Can't Dance by Genesis
Seal's original 1994 self-titled album
Every Breath You Take by the Police
Pure Moods I, II, III, IV

[ohlahlaii09]

Ever After by Marianas Trench

[Ryan]

I can't even choose one, but these are the ones I was raised on:

Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
Songs From the Big Chair by Tears for Fears
The Best of the Alan Parsons Project
We Can't Dance by Genesis
Seal's original 1994 self-titled album
Every Breath You Take by the Police
Pure Moods I, II, III, IV

Nice list, Meg! I have 'Brothers in Arms' and I like Seal's album too. My favourite from each is probably 'Brothers in Arms' and 'Kiss From a Rose'. Predictable, I know

Nice selections by the others too! A few more of mine are: 'Rubber Soul' by The Beatles, 'Lady in Satin' by Billie Holiday, 'Pet Sounds' by The Beach Boys, 'Nevermind' by Nirvana, 'Mothership' by Led Zeppelin, 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' by Bob Dylan and 'The Whole Story' by Kate Bush.

-- 17 Aug 2015, 23:25 --

@"zeldas_lullaby", you should check out 'The Classic Chillout Album'. It's very similar to 'Pure Moods' (it has some of the same songs, in fact) but there's a few cracking finds on there that aren't on the latter

[zeldas_lullaby]

Well, thank you, Grandmaster Ryan! I rarely find people who appreciate the music I was raised on. I love the title track on Brothers in Arms too--it's so haunting and melancholy. And the lyrics are so beautiful.

I used to have a dance for Kiss From a Rose... And you're familiar with Pure Moods too? Awesome! The first one is kind of in my family's history at this point... we'd play it endlessly, play cards, lots of memories. I may check out that album you mentioned if I do any music shopping soon! I don't listen to music much lately... it kinda clogs my mind somehow. But I've been listening a little bit more often lately.

[Ryan]

OK, this is going to sound nuts, but my favorite album of all time was the last album made by The Mammas and the Papas. It was titled People Like Us. The critics panned it so harshly that I was able to buy two albums for a total of $2 at a five and dime. They were practically giving them away. Now the thing of it is this group knew that this would be their last album together as they were making it, and though they were resigned to splitting up I think they put something special - something I am hard pressed to define - into it. It is very subtle but I thought this was the most maturely presented album of their careers together. It is both glorious and sad at the same time. There are tracks of this album on You Tube if anyone is inclined to listen to them.

I'll check it out; I'm always up for listening to something new. I'm very familiar with their first album ('If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears'), which I like a lot. Beyond that I'm not very experienced with their work. Thanks!

[Mark Johnson]

Hard to narrow it down to just one. As a record collector there are so many great albums to listen to. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks is on my top five list for sure. Pink Floyd: Meddle, Cannonball Adderley: Something Else, Dexter Gordon: One Flight Up (Tanya is one of the best jazz songs ever), U2: Joshua Tree, Beatles: Revolver and Rubber Soul, Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring. There are so many good albums to, hard to choose favorite. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue, Charles Mingus: Ah-Um, Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out.

[DATo]

OK, this is going to sound nuts, but my favorite album of all time was the last album made by The Mammas and the Papas. It was titled People Like Us. The critics panned it so harshly that I was able to buy two albums for a total of $2 at a five and dime. They were practically giving them away. Now the thing of it is this group knew that this would be their last album together as they were making it, and though they were resigned to splitting up I think they put something special - something I am hard pressed to define - into it. It is very subtle but I thought this was the most maturely presented album of their careers together. It is both glorious and sad at the same time. There are tracks of this album on You Tube if anyone is inclined to listen to them.

I'll check it out; I'm always up for listening to something new. I'm very familiar with their first album ('If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears'), which I like a lot. Beyond that I'm not very experienced with their work. Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HblJLat7-s

Greatest masters of harmony who ever lived! Bit of trivia: Michelle Phillips once said that when they rehearsed or sang together they wouldn't begin to sing seriously until Harvey showed up. This was a nod to the movie where Jimmy Stewart had an imaginary friend, a six foot tall rabbit, named Harvey. "Harvey" was meant to represent the "spirit" who arrived when their harmonies were spot on perfect.

[lolashoes]

I have a big love for Mumford and Son's debut album Sigh No More, first album I've bought.