OT - Revisiting Old Albums

[Waquoit]

I have an hour-long commute and need a break from my usual spoken-word fare (i.e. podcasts, courses, sports talk). The last couple of live shows I attended featured entire albums and I kinda got into it. During the classic rock era I was kid and pretty much only cared about the hits.

Anyone have some album suggestions outside the usual for my ride? For instance, I just finished "Thick as a Brick" and thought that was great. Bowie "Low" was good and Kraftwork "Trans Europe Express" I liked as well.

(I know the timing here is odd, but I usually don't have much to say after a tough loss)

 

[8893]

A few random thoughts from someone who has been hooked on old albums his whole life, and based in part on what you said you liked:

Staying with Bowie, Hunky Dory. My favorite from him.

You seem to like prog rock, which I was never big on; old Genesis was about as prog as I got, so I'd recommend The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

For me, Traffic is the quintessential album rock. John Barleycorn Must Die is probably my favorite, but their eponymous album is also excellent. Obviously The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, too.

Some under-appreciated albums that I always enjoy turning people on to are Robert Palmer's Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley; Dave Mason's Alone Together; Bobby Charles Bobby Charles and Homemade Songs.

Just yesterday I heard John Lennon's "God" on Deep Tracks, prompting me to immediately listen to his great Plastic Ono Band album several times. And on that note, Paul McCartney's Venus and Mars is another one I popped in recently and loved hearing again and again.

Okay, that's it for now. I'm sure I'll have a dozen more thoughts by this evening, especially if you can give more feedback on your preferences.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Good choice with Traffic.

Oddly enough long commutes are also good for studio bands. Really like Steely Dan and for some reason this week I've been turning up a bunch of Boston Tunes.

I'd also recommend some Derek and the Dominoes, Allman Brothers and Talking Heads.

 

[bobbygt]

Just a few guesses-

Gordon Lightfoot- Sundown, Cold on the Shoulder
Rolling Stones, Beggar's Banquet
Incredible String Band, Wee Tam

 

[8893]

Some other thoughts. I heard a podcast recently in which Jason Isbell was talking about the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers as one of his favorite albums of all time. I could probably pick a half dozen others from them, too, but I thought it was interesting that, in the same interview, he described Led Zeppelin's Zeppelin III as what he considered to be one of the first Americana albums he had heard (other than "Immigrant Song"). I recently re-listened to it with that in mind and can definitely hear what he's talking about.

Good call on Talking Heads @Chin Diesel. I'd recommend Remain in Light.

I saw the recent Stevie Wonder tour where he played Songs in the Key of Life in its entirety. Obviously a great album, but I like Innervisions and Fulfillingness' First Finale better.

The Pretenders, Learning to Crawl.

And, for something totally different, Ernie K-Doe's Here Come the Girls! Just trust me, you'll love it.

Was in a Squeeze phase again recently and I love their new album, but also enjoyed listening to Argy Bargy, East Side Story, Sweets from a Stranger and Singles--45s and Under again.

Joe Jackson's Look Sharp!

Saw Rickie Lee Jones again recently and also love her latest album, but again I've been enjoying going through her back catalog, including her eponymous debut, Pirates and Flying Cowboys.

 

[August_West]

Exile on Main Street is greatest stones Album

I would take McCartneys Ram over Venus and Mars too.


Zappa -Apostrophe is a great accessible album if you are not deep into Zappa.

Elton John - goodbye yellowbrick road is a masterpiece

Rod Stewart every picture tells a story

 

[8893]

Exile on Main Street is greatest stones Album

I would take McCartneys Ram over Venus and Mars too.


Zappa -Apostrophe is a great accessible album if you are not deep into Zappa.

Elton John - goodbye yellowbrick road is a masterpiece

Rod Stewart every picture tells a story

Agree with every one of those...and still have them all on vinyl.

One of the greatest things in my life is that the default screen saver on my AppleTV is my album collection in floating tiles, which shuffles randomly through my entire collection (as it's doing now, while I listen to Bobby Charles). It's a great source of inspiration, but also pretty cool and interesting live art in the middle of our living area as the album art scrolls across my 55" flat screen.

Nominees for thread that have just passed by include Bonnie Raitt, Bonnie Raitt; Little Feat, Feats Don't Fail Me Now; and Bob Dylan, Time Out of Mind.

 

[August_West]

From the lighter side;

Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
Paul Simon -Still Crazy after all these Years
Bob Dylan - blood on the tracks
George Harrison - all things must pass
( disclosure: I like Harrison's solo outputs more than any other Beatle, George was the man)
Neil young - Harvest

All of the above stand up ( and are meant to) as complete albums rather than a collection of songs.

 

[Bezzz]

Not to state the obvious, but my favorite album as a start to finish journey is The Beatles, Abbey Road.

 

[8893]

All of the above stand up ( and are meant to) as complete albums rather than a collection of songs.

Yeah, that's been my focus in my suggestions as well (speaking of which, you know that Exile on Main Street was mostly outtakes from other sessions, especially Sticky Fingers, right?)

As for Van, it's so hard for me because (as with Dylan) I have every one of his albums and am such a freak that I actually love them all.

That said, aside from the many obvious choices, No Guru, No Method, No Teacher is my dark horse favorite, and probably my most frequent go-to as a "crossroads" album, which I find myself drawn to when I am at my most pensive or anxious times.

As for Neil, gotta go with Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Oh yeah, Dire Straits, Dire Straits and Making Movies.

 

[August_West]

Mostly outtakes? That be overstating it a bit. A batch was written and recorded during sticky fingers, but continued over the next 3 years in France and then LA. It is quite amazing how cohesive that is considering it was recorded in the most disjointed way possible. And Keith was in bad shape. But he was in heroin honeymoon phase there is short time heroin stops the world and let's you create at unreal levels before you become beholden to it. Richards in early 70s. Garcia in 77. Cobain in 91-92. So many more examples, reached incredible peaks at the beginnings of their monkeys before it took its toll.

 

[8893]

Mostly outtakes? That be overstating it a bit. A batch was written and recorded during sticky fingers, but continued over the next 3 years in France and then LA. It is quite amazing how cohesive that is considering it was recorded in the most disjointed way possible. And Keith was in bad shape. But he was in heroin honeymoon phase there is short time heroin stops the world and let's you create at unreal levels before you become beholden to it. Richards in early 70s. Garcia in 77. Cobain in 91-92. So many more examples, reached incredible peaks at the beginnings of their monkeys before it took its toll.

Fair enough re Exile; I'm not disagreeing that it's the best Stones album and one of the best albums of all time. My point was the same as yours, i.e., it's amazing how much of an album it feels like, despite the patchwork nature of its creation (not only so many outtakes from sessions for another album, but different personnel and spanning so much time and geography).

Wait...have we inadvertently stumbled upon the secret for the success of this year's team? KO needs become hooked on smack to unlock his creative vision.

Anywho, listening to No Guru, No Method, No Teacher now. Always works for me.

 

[Waquoit]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm not seeing much outside the classic rock, superstar canon. Any one offs, forgotten bands or guilty pleasures? Like say Big Star? What about bands like Mahogany Rush? Are they any good?

 

[8893]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm not seeing much outside the classic rock, superstar canon. Any one offs, forgotten bands or guilty pleasures? Like say Big Star? What about bands like Mahogany Rush? Are they any good?

Not sure how you include Bobby Charles, Ernie K-Doe, Squeeze and a few other suggestions within that characterization.

Don't know much about the two bands you've listed here, but if you're looking for great bands you might not know try Old 97s.

If you liked the Replacements you'll like anything from Paul Westerberg.

I remember you said you liked Wilco but haven't listened to them a lot before; their album catalog is as good as you're going to find among any "contemporary" band, starting with their first one, A.M., straight through to their last, Star Wars. Literally not a bad album in between, and many that are stellar.

If you exhaust that, go back to their seed band, Uncle Tupelo, and start with Anodyne.

 

[husky8273]

Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash

 

[8893]

How about Swamp Dogg? Do you know of him? He's one of the more interesting characters I've come across.

Check out Excellent Sides of Swamp Dogg Vol. 1, which is his first two albums, Total Destruction of Your Mind and Rat On!

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Liquid swords if you are into rap at all

 

[Revrat]

Been doing a lot of the same. Sticking mostly to old "Krautrock" Can, Kraftwerk, Neu! and anything related. a lot of it I'm just discovering especially the Can which I can't believe I was never into. Been balancing it with a lot of Postrock like This Will Destroy You and Mono.

 

[Stainmaster]

Nineteen posts in and not a single Rumors mention? Yeesh.

 

[UConnDad]

"One" of my favorite albums was Golden Biscuits.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'm sitting in a Five Guys and they have Boston's Long Time on right now. Good melodies and tempo.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'd also recommend Duane Allman Anthology. So many styles of music he was working on- rock, blues, folk, soul, etc. The Hey Jude version with him and Wilson Pickett is unreal.

 

[uconnfan68]

Exile on Main Street is greatest stones Album

I would take McCartneys Ram over Venus and Mars too.


Zappa -Apostrophe is a great accessible album if you are not deep into Zappa.

Elton John - goodbye yellowbrick road is a masterpiece

Rod Stewart every picture tells a story

Sticky Fingers is my favorite Stones album. Rod Stewart and Faces is another top. My tastes go towards blues, rock, folk, country rock. Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails, Van Morrison St. Dominic's Preview. Old Fleetwood Mac (and new). Allman Bros., Loggins and Messina Motherlode.

 

[uconnfan68]

I'd also recommend Duane Allman Anthology. So many styles of music he was working on- rock, blues, folk, soul, etc. The Hey Jude version with him and Wilson Pickett is unreal.

Duane with Boz Skaggs Loan me a Dime.

 

[8893]

I'd also recommend Duane Allman Anthology. So many styles of music he was working on- rock, blues, folk, soul, etc. The Hey Jude version with him and Wilson Pickett is unreal.

Tremendous album.