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Is there a perfect album?


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Your definition to perfect could be so subjective.

One of my favorite albums ever is Lyle Lovett's Live with his Large Band. But if you hate Lyle Lovett, you'll not like the album.

There isn't a song I skip on that album.

 

So, I think everyone's interpretation will be different based on musical style preference.

 

D

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Never a dull moment category: XTC - Black Sea

Creativity unleashed: Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Melodic and harmonic perfection: J.S. Bach - Brandenburgs

Knockout punch from start to finish: Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced

Perfect fusion of funk, jazz, and rock: Miles Davis - Theme from Jack Johnson

 

 

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Moby Grape - their self titled 1st album - amazing vocals, guitar arrangements, rhythmic drive

The Allman Brothers - their self titled 1st album - great intros, the trippy sound of the Hammond with the double leads and double drums, Greg's vocals

Most Beatle albums. Even something like "When I'm 64" on Sgt. Pepper. If you really listen closely it's great. And the same for most of their albums. I call it the "Beatles Treatment". The combination of inventive arrangements, vocal arrangements, studio wizardry. Crazy magic. So, most Beatle albums.

 

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Miles Davis - Kind of Blue the best selling jazz album of all time, documentaries and a book or two have been written about it.

 

Hector Zazou - Songs from the Cold Seas & Sahara Blue - his production work was second to none

 

Ellen McIlwaine - Up From the Skies:the Polydor Years what passion, emotional vibrancy one of the best slide guitarists and underrated

 

Michael Shrieve and Steve Roach- The Leaving Time a unique blend of sounds-capes, rhythms , guitar washes

 

Traffic - one of the best film soundtracks ever made

 

Mark Isham - Vapor Drawings still a favorite electronic (with trumpet) album

 

 

 

 

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Never a dull moment category: XTC - Black Sea

Creativity unleashed: Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Melodic and harmonic perfection: J.S. Bach - Brandenburgs

Knockout punch from start to finish: Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced

Perfect fusion of funk, jazz, and rock: Miles Davis - Theme from Jack Johnson

 

 

That's not really an album :cop:

 

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That's not really an album :cop:

 

True - there was no such thing as audio recording back when it was composed, so there were no "albums", but they work really well as a (rather long) album-type listening experience, and there's a plethora of recorded versions available on CD.

 

IMHO the Brandenburg Concertos represent some of humankind's highest musical and artistic achievements. :philthumb:

 

[video=youtube;NCPM8DEsvmc]

 

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True - there was no such thing as audio recording back when it was composed, so there were no "albums", but they work really well as a (rather long) album-type listening experience, and there's a plethora of recorded versions available on CD.

 

IMHO the Brandenburg Concertos represent some of humankind's highest musical and artistic achievements. :philthumb:

 

 

I wonder if he ever performed in Russia? The live album would be 'Bach in the USSR' :0

 

 

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Paul Simon's There Goes Rhymin' Simon doesn't have a weak track IMHO.

 

Plus it's got at least two undisputed classics.

 

I'm a total Beatle freak, but every one of their albums has a track or two I can live without.

 

"Perfect" in this context I define as a good variety of tunes, each one stands on it's own merits, and the sum is greater than the parts. Just about impossible.

 

nat whilk ii

 

 

 

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Well...Most of those albums I consider perfect have already been listed or alluded to. I concur with davd indigo choices except that I think "Live At Fillmore East" is the the best album the bros did, and is indeed perfect.

I also think "Are you Experienced" is perfect...But no more perfect than "Axis Bold as Love".

I'd also offer up Eric Johnson's "Ah Via Musicom" as perfect....But you prolly hafta be a guitar player or Texan to concur with me on that one.

 

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Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is worthy, especially how the tracks blend together into one big composition.

 

Guns & Roses "Appetite for Destruction" comes very close.

 

Yes's "Close to the Edge" is worthy, but it's only three tracks, and "Going for the One" is equally worthy.

 

Asia takes a beating in many prog forums, but I gotta tell you, their debut album is pretty strong across the board.

 

Pearl Jam had a near perfect (or perfect) album with "Ten". Great songs, great engineering (I hate the engineering on their second album by comparison).

 

In jazz, I have a fondness for Wynton Kelly's "Full View", but that's not one of his more popular albums. Chick Corea's "Akoustic Band" is a great album from start to finish.

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I can think of a lot of albums that come close but miss with on or two songs... but the first album I thought of that comes close to perfection would be Signals by Rush.

 

Signals is a fine album. Losing It (from said album) is a really gorgeous song.

 

For me, Going For The One by Yes is a flawless album.

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I can think of a lot of albums that come close but miss with on or two songs... but the first album I thought of that comes close to perfection would be Signals by Rush.

 

 

I'd say "Moving Pictures" is even a bit better, in terms of a complete stem to stern album. Not a bad track on there...

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I have dozens, but most are "Classical" (Romantic era to contemporary).

 

Dvorak's Symphony 7-8-9 by The Cleveland Orchestra - Christoph von Dohnanyi (Conductor)

 

Scythian Suite / Love for Three Oranges Suite / Symphony No. 5 - Sergey Prokofiev (Composer), Antal Dorati (Conductor)

 

Arabian Nights (Complete Ballet) / Symphony For String Orchestra / Shur (Symphonic Mugam)

Fikret Amirov (Composer), Nazim Rzaev (Conductor), Gennady Rozhdestvensky (Conductor)

 

dozens more

 

Jazz:

 

Jazz Samba - Stan Getz/Charlie Bird - also Jazz Samba Encore with Getz and Bonfa too

 

Mark Murphy: Satisfaction Guaranteed and also Bop For Kerouac

 

Claus Ogerman - Gate Of Dreams

 

dozens more

 

Rock

 

Pink Floyd - Dark Side

 

The Who - Tommy

 

Yes - Fragile and the Yes album

 

Steely Dan - Royal Scam (I actually like that one even better than Aja)

 

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

 

Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed

 

I'll think of more as soon as I hit "Post Reply"

 

I guess I'm easy ;)

 

Insights and incites by Notes

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