Ledgie Top Tens: Album Edition

[StreetAngel95]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Well, I would gladly skip "Glamor Profession" . But other than that, I would agree that SD in the 70's was incredible- I think they peaked with The Royal Scam. But the 2000-era stuff isn't too bad either, especially Everything Must Go. And Donald Fagen's solo album Morph the Cat is really, really good!

yessss some SD fans!

[Rod]

'The Bells' has always been my favourite but "It's Gonna Take A Miracle" is just as heart rending.

[jaycee]

Originally Posted by chiliD

The Motels - All Four One
Like with Little Feat, strong throughout, could also substitute their prior album Careful here, as well. "I never knew mercy could feel this way....."

Awesome! A Motels album made a list!
I've recently discovered The Motels from a compilation I bought ages ago, but never (properly) listened to until about two weeks ago. I'll be buying their albums once I get some cash together.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Rod

I love these lists - though it's impossible to give a definitive answer. Mine would look something like this. Sometimes I'd choose different albums by these artists.

Kate Bush - Aerial

Jane Siberry - The Walking

Joni Mitchell - Blue

Carly Simon - No Secrets

Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates

Indigo Girls - Swamp Ophelia

10,000 Maniacs - Our Time in Eden

Björk - Vespertine

Fleetwood Mac - Tusk

Laura Nyro - Gonna Take a Miracle

Loves some Jane Siberry!!! The Walking was the only album I played for several months in a row in 1988. I actually saw her perform at a tiny little club on the Walking tour... unforgettable!

Otherwise, your taste is scarily in synch with mine. But 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant is like krypton to my Superman.

[markolas]

Something Cool - June Christy This album is so heavenly, it sort of defies description. Christy recorded other albums that are just as good, but they don't quite have the magic of this one. There's something about the combination of Christy's sultry vocals and Pete Rugolo's sublime arrangements that absolutely kills me.

The Intimate Ella - Ella Fitzgerald You usually don't hear Ella this way - this is a piano/vocal duet album with pianist Paul Smith. The songs are all torchy ballads, and Ella's voice is like honey. She's sometimes been accused of not being able to project much emotion with her singing, but this album blows that theory out of the water, IMO. "Black Coffee," "Misty," and "Angel Eyes" are my favorites, and she even tackles Connie Francis's "Who's Sorry Now."

In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra This is my favorite Sinatra album, and one of the earliest concept albums, supposedly "inspired" by his break up with Ava Gardner. Gorgeous vocals dripping with pathos, gorgeous arrangements by Nelson Riddle. Johnny Hartman (another singer I love) did a cover of the title track years later, but Sinatra's original cannot be topped. Not even by the likes of Hartman.

Hejira - Joni Mitchell I've sung this album's praises 1,000 times on the Ledge, but here it is again. I don't listen to Joni that much these days, but this will probably always be one of my favorites. This album paints a picture for me, more than any other album of hers, and that's due at least as much to the presence of Jaco Pastorius as to Joni's lyrics, which are the best she's ever written.

Heart Like a Wheel - Linda Ronstadt Her most consistent album, IMO. Anna McGarrigle wrote the killer title song, and her sister Kate's death is what got me to thinking about this album again. Ronstadt has a tendency to get a little too "shouty" with her vocals sometimes, but they are absolutely beautiful here.

Private Dancer - Tina Turner I've been listening to this a lot lately. This is Tina in all her slick '80s rock glory. She was never quite this good again, sadly. But she rocks these songs - "I Might Have Been Queen", "Show Some Respect," and "Steel Claw" are some real tours de force. Then, there are the gorgeous R&B ballads "Let's Stay Together" and "Help" (she puts the Beatles' version of this song to absolute, pitiable shame) that prove that, for all her newfound '80s slickness, she still had more soul in her pinky toe than Janet Jackson or Whitney Houston could ever dream of having, even if they both gained 400 lbs.

San Antonio Rose - Willie Nelson & Ray Price I love the title song to pieces, but what makes this album for me is the (unintentional, I'm sure) homoeroticism of Willie & Ray duetting on "I Fall to Pieces."

Bella Donna - Stevie Nicks I'm glad to see all the BD love on this thread. It really is the best of her solo albums, and even tho my love for Stevie ebbs and flows, I will always adore this one. Like Tina with Private Dancer, Stevie was never *quite* this good again (well, maybe with Rock a Little, but that's debatable I suppose).

Body and Soul - Billie Holiday This is a late-period gem from 1957 that I adore. BH swings mightily with the help of sidemen like the great Ben Webster, and delivers particularly touching versions of "Darn That Dream" and "Moonlight in Vermont."

Aja and Gaucho - Steely Dan These albums are two of a piece for me, and I've been obsessed with them both for a while now. (Aja might have a slight edge, if I absolutely had to pick one, but it would be hard). They're absolute genius, and I don't know what else to say. "Aja," "Black Cow," and "Third World Man" are particular favorites.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by markolas

Private Dancer - Tina Turner

Good choice.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

If you consider her earliest punk (ish) influences and how these were tamed for the Go-Gos there is an argument that Real is a more honest reflection of Belinda's personality than the polished power pop of her earlier albums. Or that's how it was spun anyway. [snip] I also really, really love Always Breaking My Heart from A Woman And A Man (1996).

I was on a Belinda Carlisle kick for a while after not having listened to her in years. I'd forgotten how much I liked her voice. Been meaning to pick up both Real and A Woman and a Man. What was that French album she came out with awhile back?

[markolas]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis (1969)(
Flawless. I think you have to have no ears to dislike this record! Haha. It was genuinely shocking at points too to hear a white woman singing such soulful, risque lyrics as those in Son Of A Preacher Man. Also, Breakfast In Bed and I Don't Wanna Hear It Anymore are both heartbreaking and voyeuristic/titallating (but not smutty) at the same time. Just wonderful.

Oy - this is one of my favorites, too. It's effing brilliant. And I love "Windmills of Your Mind."

Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne (Saturate Before Using) (1972)

I dunno if I prefer him to James Taylor, necessarily, but this and Late for the Sky are both beautiful. He's a hard one for me to listen to, tho - just because his lyrics tend to be so maudlin.

Originally Posted by jaycee

5. Soul Cages - Sting. Another beautiful album!

Another one that could've easily been on my list.

And I'm glad to see some Steely Dan love on this thread.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

Good choice.

Thankee. And I feel the same way you do about John Mayer, btw. I don't generally use the word "pu$$y" to describe people, but in his case it really is the most accurate descriptor I can think of.

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by markolas

I was on a Belinda Carlisle kick for a while after not having listened to her in years. I'd forgotten how much I liked her voice. Been meaning to pick up both Real and A Woman and a Man. What was that French album she came out with awhile back?

The french album is called Voila and came out in 2o07. I don't have it but have heard it and I like! It's random but fun and just very unexpected from her.

Both Real and A Woman And A Man are good albums, a bit patchy but I think I'd give the edge to Real. Both albums had brilliant singles though - Lay Down Your Arms and Big Scary Animal (Real) and In Too Seep, Always Breaking My Heart and Love In The Key Of C (A Woman And A Man).

Honorable mentions have to go to Goodbye Day and Windows Of The World from Real - they're brilliant! I'll never understand how this album didn't do better. On the plus side, you'll be able to pick both of them up for very vheap prices on amazon marketplace or play trade.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

The french album is called Voila and came out in 2o07. I don't have it but have heard it and I like! It's random but fun and just very unexpected from her.

It is unexpected! I do have this album, I do like it and her choices of French pop songs are really good. Her French pronunciation is not so good though.

[JazmenFlowers]

in no order...

Bella Donna | Stevie Nicks
Rumours | Fleetwood Mac
Speak for Yourself | Imogen Heap
Embrya | Maxwell
Hounds of Love | Kate Bush
Little Earthquakes | Tori Amos
Love Deluxe | Sade
More Adventurous | Rilo Kiley
Stripped | Christina Aguilera
Songbird | Barbra Streisand

honorable mentions...

Oracular Spectacular | MGMT
Want One | Rufus Wainwright
Prime of My Life | Phyllis Hyman
Wet | Barbra Streisand
La Luna | Sarah Brightman
Youth Novels | Lykke Li

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

Lungs - Florence + the Machine
Lungs is the only album I listen to released after 1989 (Bar my favourite bands and artists albums like SYW, No Exit, TISL etc) and boy do I love it. Florence Welch has an amazing voice. Fact. She also brought new life to a song that I hated before. And there's lots of Tabourine useage

seriously. this is so true.

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

I feel the same way about John Mayer.

I know, right. I LOVE LOVE Heavier Things, but I can't listen to it because he makes me so sick.

[bluefox4000]

The White Album-The Beatles
Music From Big Pink-The band
Rumours Fleetwood Mac
Katy Lied-Steely Dan
Out Of the Cradle-Lindsey Buckingham
The future-Leonard Cohen
Queen 1-Queen
Peter Gabriel(Melt)-Peter Gabriel
Amused to Death-Roger Waters
Northern Lights Southern Cross-The Band

Mick

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by bluefox4000

For Crying Out Loud- Meat Loaf (Yes I love Him)

NOO I forgot Meat! I love him too. Listening to his Greatest Hits when I was about 11 is what made me realise that I love music from the 60's, 70's and 80's!