Ledgie Top Tens: Album Edition

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by Travis

I do have "Real" but I hate to admit, it never did anything for me. I do recall "Lay Down Your Arms" as being one of the better songs I liked but overall, eh LOL. I hate it when they try to get "real", just put on the make up, the lip gloss and shine and work that magic girl :-)

Kylie - again, we are different here. I can not get into "Impossible Princess." This is another example of an artist trying to be taken more seriously (in my opinion). Although I do like all of the singles from the album, I can't get into the CD as a whole. Kylie smartened up and returned to her pop roots, what she does best. I LOVE "X" btw.

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. Don't get me wrong, I love her earlier solo work! I actually just bought the Runaway Horses album on vinyl for £1.75! I'm waiting excitedly for it to arrive. Summer Rain (her best song!), Leave A Light On and Emotional Highway are all especially good. I also really, really love Always Breaking My Heart from A Woman And A Man (1996). Then again, that was written by Per Gessle from Roxette (who I love!) so no wonder I like it. She did it when I saw her live.

Oh I think you're right that, for singles anyway, it's pure pop that Kylie does best. I just really, really rate Impossible Princess as an entirely cohesive album. Great singles and no filler, but yeah, her best songs are probably Better The Devil You Know (which is actually a very dark song if you listen to the lyrics), Hand On Your Heart, Step Back In Time etc... the Rhythm Of Love era was Kylie at her absolute best!

Oooh, I so wanted to like X. I really, really did - especially after 2 Hearts was a great and different style for her. I just can't get into it though. I was hoping it would grow on me like Body Language did, but no. In My Arms is good and a couple of others are ok but on the whole I'd have to say it's one of her weakest, after Let's Get To It of course! I just hate Nu-di-ty. What on earth was she thiniking?!

Oh well, imagine how boring it would be if we all liked the same thing?!?

[chiliD]

Hmmmmm....ok.....here goes...

DISCLAIMER: This is as of this very moment, could change at any time:

(no particular order)

ANY Beatles album...for me, they transcend music.

The Allman Brothers Band - Live At The Fillmore East
The best live album ever released...THIS is what the ABB is all about, being on stage, playing the blues, mixing in lengthy jazz improvisation....doesn't get to much better than this for "white boy blues".

Derek & The Dominos - Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs
Eric Clapton's anguish....and it comes through the music.

ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
That "Lil' Ol' Band From Texas" at their best before the beards & MTV made them caracatures of themselves

Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
Solid from song to song....no filler anywhere...also could substitute their Sailin' Shoes, Feats Don't Fail Me Now, or Last Record Album albums here, as well...all are equally strong.

(tie) Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue & Dave Brubeck - Take Five
When I want to get away from rock, I head for two the greatest jazz albums ever recorded

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....."

Concrete Blonde - Walking In London
Could've named any of their albums, but this one doesn't have a skippable song, the others have at least one.

The Rolling Stones - Steel Wheels
Kind of a toss up between this & Exile On Main St or Sticky Fingers, but this one just kind of came out of the blue...didn't think the Stones still had a studio album this strong still in them at the time.

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland
Jimi's best...while he was alive....just wonder what he would've released had he lived...there was a whole lot of great material that was left unfinished that was hastily released just after his death...even CDs such as Voodoo Soup & First Rays Of The New Rising Sun give a glimpse, but who knows how that material would've been presented had Jimi been able to complete the process.

**************************
Can't go without mentioning:

The Who - Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition)
Loved this album when it first came out, but thought it was too short, then MCA released an expanded version which was awesome...then they released the entire show...THAT version is the closest rival to the Allman's Fillmore album

The first five Led Zeppelin albums...and to a slightly lesser extent Physical Graffiti...material so good that I just can't stand to listen to it anymore due to radio airplay overkill as well as listening to their albums on my own. Thought Presence sucked and never really liked them after that.

The albums during the initial go-round of Steely Dan...from Can't Buy A Thrill through Gaucho...not a "filler" track in the bunch.

and you'll probably have noticed that no Fleetwood Mac or related albums were mentioned...intentional. Discussed those here ad nauseum, so no need to mention them again.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by chiliD

The first five Led Zeppelin albums...and to a slightly lesser extent Physical Graffiti...material so good that I just can't stand to listen to it anymore due to radio airplay overkill as well as listening to their albums on my own. Thought Presence sucked and never really liked them after that.

I think every band has their version of Presence- that one anomally recording that, for whatever reason, just never found an audience. Van Halen had Women and Children First. Fleetwood Mac had Time. Queen had Hot Space. I personally love Presence, but I have to admit that I would be hard pressed to name more than two songs from it off the top of my head! And how can you hate on In Through the Out Door?? That is probably my favorite LZ album- probably up there with Physical Graffiti.

The albums during the initial go-round of Steely Dan...from Can't Buy A Thrill through Gaucho...not a "filler" track in the bunch.

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!

[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!

[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.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by jaycee

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.

Good luck...other than compilations or a couple of live albums (Standng Room Only & Atomic Cafe), the original albums are out of print....although, I see that you can get a "2 fer" of All Four One/Little Robbers as an Import. I think the album BEFORE All Four One, called Careful actually has better songs (especially the Tim McGovern penned "Envy"), but the production isn't as crisp as the more well known album.

AMAZON.COM has all the original albums (on CD) used, but pretty spendy! Their last album (of the classic core crew) Shock is going for over $100!!!
Hmmmm, maybe I should thinka bout selling MINE! LOL!

And, then there are Martha Davis' two post-Motels albums Policy and ...So The Story Goes. Also, used only for close to the $100 mark. I haven't heard the latter one, but Policy is REALLY good, sounds pretty much like a torchier Motels album.

If you like The Motels, check out Burning Sensations (led by ex-Motels guitarist Tim McGovern)...they had that one hit back in the late 80's called "Belly Of The Whale". Their entire album is fantastic (as well as the 3 bonus tracks on the "Belly Of The Whale" CD single)...they even re-do "Envy", changing the gender for the male lead vocal...a more powerful version, a bit more frenetic than the "tame by comparison" Motels version.

[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.

[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.