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The ES Actual Best 200 Albums List: 1950-1990


Going Commando

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Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East - 1971.

Ray Charles, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music - 1962.

Fleetwood Mac, Then Play On - 1969.

Electric Flag, A Long Time Comin' - 1968.

B.B. King & Bobby "Blue" Bland, Together For The First Time...Live - 1974.

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R.E.M. - Murmur - 1983

One of the all-time great debut albums and one of the best of the 80s also. Literally not a weak song on the album and laid the blueprint for a lot of alternative rock moving forward.

Love that one.

I wish stipe hadn't started trying to annunciate. Their early stuff was awesome.

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in no particular order at all. i can't ever decide what is the top five, much less the best.. so no numbers. sorry for the extensive list.. but i love music and figure why not. What the hell else you got to do?
If i can turn one of you on to something you haven't heard.. then i feel pretty good. i LOVE to share music. Follow me on spotify if you want.

 

The Who, Tommy:  1969
Among the first and best 'concept albums".. an opera..  songs on it are great on their own, but as a package are brilliant.

 

Muddy Waters, "Folk Singer" 1963 
the blues incarnate. In 1963 folk music was hitting it's stride, so Chess records put Muddy in a studio with a young Buddy Guy and Willie dixon and gave them acoustic instruments. The result is amazing, an outstanding portrait of all three blues giants right in their primes, playing it as stripped down as it can get. It's beautiful.
 

the Miles Davis Quintet - "Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet". 1955
Another supergroup, the quintet was Miles, Jon Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul chambers, and Philly Joe Jones.  This incarnation of the quintet recorded four albums in 2 single day sessions in 1954. This one is my favorite. Beautiful, and as Miles can be heard saying before the first track "If I had a Bell"... "I'll play it and tell you what it is later"..   and what it is is spectacular. 

 

Elton John, Elton John's Greatest Hits, volume 1.  1974
I hate to put a greatest hits package up here, but if you want a perfect look at what was in my mind the golden era of pop radio (about 1966 to 1973), then you can't do better than this set of hits. Elton and Bernie taupin wrote some outstanding pop songs, and every one of them on this album are top notch gems. if you haven't heard them in a while..  treat yourself. Go play "Honky Cat".. try not to tap your foot. Hell, if you're old enough, you probably know every word to every song on this album.

 

Ramones : Rocket to Russia  1977

In the 70s rock and roll hit what many think was it's peak, and it also hit a point where it took itself too seriously. Audiences became further and further removed from musicians who were put on God-like pedestals,, and acted like it. Art rock decided that unless you were a major virtuoso you shold just stay home, and the Ramones reminded us all what a load of crap that was. Rock and Roll is for all, and you don't need to be an amazing musician to play it, and play it really well.

The Ramones are basically 50s rock and roll.. driven up recklessly. "Rocket" is a fine example of one of the greatest and most important bands there were.  when you heard the Ramones, they moved you with the sheer power and boisterous energy produced by extremely simple songs. Made you want to play guitar, and more importantly, made it so you COULD without 30 years of practice.

 

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: .. just pick one.  ( I actually like "Band of Gypsies" the best, and that is not the Experience... but really... any of them will do.)

Hello? Change the face of music, anyone?

 

U2 - the Joshua Tree 1987
The album that put them firmly on the map,, although they were arguably already on it. Lyrically it's excellent.. Edge's guitars are a treat,, given the time and the effects he was using like no one else really was. Also,   one of the best backing sections in rock and Roll was rolling on this album. 

 

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Born to Run, 1975

Nothing can be said that hasn't already been said. But if you really want to know what Bruce was and what he meant and why he got so big, look no further. Not a bad song on the bunch, and lyrically one of the most brilliant examples of a truly brilliant lyricist. Just listen to "Jungleland", the last song on the album.. feel it.. listen to the words and you can't help but be swept up in it. Poets paint with words. Bruce creates masterpieces, and this one is his best.

 

The Rolling Stones- Exile on Main Street 1974
The Greatest Rock And Roll Band In The World.. proving it on every track. Booze, Heroin, cocaine and probably everything else..  and through the haze of it all came this album, showing the Stones in all their glory..  from high powered jumping tracks like "Rocks Off" or "Turd on the Run" to beautiful pieces of stoned glory like "Sweet Virginia".  This album is the Stones.. beyond the radio.
Honorable mention: Some Girls, 1977
Some Girls was panned as a disco album when it came out by a music industry that was trying to do it's usual "Oh, these guys have been popular for a while,, it's time to make hating them cool to make you seem esoteric"..  and this album straight up ****ing ROCKS. i do not know for the life of me how anyone can listen to "Lies"  "When the Whip Comes down" or "Respectable" and hear disco. Whoever did has a tin ear.

 

Aerosmith: Rocks, 1975
Seriously,,  these guys were heavyweights, and this album is as good an example of hard rock and roll as you're likely to find. I'd stand it up next to ANY of the heavies and their best hard rock albums, and it will hold it's own, and then some. The entire record packs a HELL of a punch.  If you like rock and roll, jam on "Rats in the Cellar" just once, and tell me I'm wrong. 
I'll call you a liar.

 

The Doors; the Doors , 1967
It has "The End" on it. 'nuff said.

 

Led Zeppelin III
Only because it's my favorite of their many great albums. It mixes acoustic music and their signature heavy duty sound beautifully, and showed that they had an amazing range. "Friends" is a nice song that drops right into "Celebration Day", which is NOT a nice song.. about people killing their neighbor. "Celebration Day" is one of my favs, love the guitar in there. Classic Page.

Obviously, Led Zeppelin IV
Look, anyone who enjoys rock and roll knows why this has to be included on the list. for my money, the power of "When the Levee Breaks" is awe inspiring. Recorded in an old English castle, the drum track for "levee" was recorded by setting up Bonzo's kit inside the base of a high tower, and then lowered a mic down from the top to record the drums as they bounced up the walls.
Gives me the shivers.

Talking Heads: Remain in Light, 1980

Oh MAN. If you've never heard this album, do yourself a favor and Spotify it up right now. The songs are tight, diamond edged gems, and Adrien Beleu's guitar work is amazing..  unlike anything that had been done up to the time. even the radio hit "Once in a Lifetime" which you've all heard was a brilliantly written track about being a success. 

Paul Simon: Graceland, 1986
Look, i think "The Rhythm of the Saints" is a better album, but it was released in 1990 so it has to be for the next list given the OP rules. And since i think Paul Simon is a remarkable musician, an excellent songwriter, he should be included, and Graceland was an album made at the height of the anti-apartheid movement the world conducted against South Africa. Simon went one further than practically any artist who tried to raise awareness, and this album is filled with South African musicians. Ray Phiri's guitar is all over the album, running off tinkling riffs that were not like the usual things we were getting at the time. Ladysmith Black Mombazo providing background vocals was AMAZING
I saw this tour at Merriweather Post.. it was as spiritual an experience as i've ever had. The music was awesome, the crowd even better. An amazing night, and a really really good record.

 

John Lee Hooker, It Serve You Right to Suffer, 1966
Quintessential John Lee Hooker. Devastating blues.

 

REM, Life's Rich Pageant, 1986
My favorite REM album. Right in their prime. Terrific songs that don't get much play,, "Begin the Begin",, "Hyena" stand out among many great tracks.

Bob Marley & the Wailers; Exodus, 1977
Awesome record,, side two might be one of the best album sides ever.  Pulsating music,  you WILL groove. Beyond the typical reggae, and redefining it. 

 

Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Animal, 1974
Interested in knowing what Lou Reed could be at his best? This is the one to hear. It's a live album, all of five songs. All of them are Velvet Underground songs, too i think.  the band are a group of session players who appear on so many albums you've heard it's not even funny, and they are as tight and on as it gets.

Speaking of live albums
Thin Lizzy: Live and Dangerous, 1978
Interested in knowing what Thin Lizzy could be at their best? This might actually be the best live rock album there is. Tons of energy, loads of awesome guitar solos, and ridiculously fun stage banter by Phil Lynott.  This album just kicks out the jams, mother****ers.

 

The Cure: Fascination Street 1988
Awesome album.. Robert Smith writes good songs, most of this album is exellent lyrically. Some of it is depressing, some of it rocks like hell, and one of them is the creepiest, scariest, most ****ed up song you'll ever hear. Robert Smith has a knack for writing something truly awful and wrapping it in a melody that you enjoy..   on candy-stripe legs,, the spiderman comes.
In case you never figured it out, "Lullaby" is about a child molester. yeesh.

Fleetwood Mac: Rumours, 1977
Yes, smash hit, huge sales..  and perfectly reasonable. Outstanding music from start to finish, superbly crafted. Stevie Nicks can sing, and Lyndsey Buckingham's guitars are crisp and clean.  Still a great album.

The Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Charlie Brown  Christmas, 1965
Yeah yeah, we've all seen the cartoon. The music is amazing. Best. Christmas. Album. EVER.

 

The Raybeats: It's Only a Movie!, 1983
Back in 1983 at the height of no one giving a **** about surf and guitar instrumental music, the Raybeats put out the best Surf guitar album I ever heard. Throw it on at any party, and watch everyone groove without having the slightest idea what it is. 
Then watch their faces sink when you tell them it's long been out of print and likely can't be found anywhere.

 

 

So, as usual on these lists, i go overboard. 
Let me know what you think,  i am only stopping because i don't want to write 20 pages.

~Bang

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ONE??!   oh man, no way. i can't do it. I just CAN'T!

You may as well throw me in a Victoria's secret fashion show dressing room with a bear trap on my zipper.

 

and i did include a Greatest Hits,, because that one deserves it.

 

~Bang

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Metallica, Master of Puppets 1986.  

 

Their third album, the last one with Cliff Burton.  It's so fast and it kicks so much ass.  I love how that album doesn't totally sound like 80's rock with synthesizers which is what Van Halen was doing.  You can see a distinct progression from each of their albums to this one and, IMO, it's their very best.  The songwriting is better, the musicianship is better, the arrangements are better.  Everything just works really, really well.  I still think "Disposable Heroes" is one of their best, most underrated songs.  

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Guns n Roses - Appetite for Destruction - 1987

Greatest mother****ing hair metal ****ing album of the ****ing 80's. This ****ing album blew the panties off of your mom while your dad was in the other room taking ****ing shots and doing a ****-ton of blow off of the neighbors ass. ****ing right!

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A couple of my choices have already been mentioned, but here's one.

 

Who's Next -  The Who, 1971

 

 

Just so solid from start to finish.

 

Seriously, this is not a Greatest Hits.

 

Baba O' Reilly

Bargain

Love Ain't for Keeping

My Wife

The Song is Over

Getting in Tune

Going Mobile

Behind Blue Eyes

Won't Get Fooled Again

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Time_out_album_cover.jpg

"Time Out" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959)

Perhaps the most well known, well loved, accessible, yet groundbreaking jazz albums of all time. This features the "classic lineup" of Brubeck, Wright, Desmond, and Morello, introducing the general public to odd and mixed meter music. The fact that they were able to do that while not alienating the general public - quite the opposite since the album peaked at #2 on the billboard charts - is incredible.

 

Brubeck made a career out of making jazz music accessible to the general public while holding fast to artistic integrity. This is his magnum opus and it's one of my favorite albums.

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Guns n Roses - Appetite for Destruction - 1987

Greatest mother****ing hair metal ****ing album of the ****ing 80's. This ****ing album blew the panties off of your mom while your dad was in the other room taking ****ing shots and doing a ****-ton of blow off of the neighbors ass. ****ing right!

 

I agree this album should be on the list but I wouldn't call it hair metal.  I mean, they had big hair, they played metal (I don't even think it classifies as metal, it's more just straight up hard rock) but they're in a different category than Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, etc.  Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm the only one that doesn't consider them hair metal but I think they're in a different category of all their own.  And this album is in a different category all it's own.

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I agree this album should be on the list but I wouldn't call it hair metal. I mean, they had big hair, they played metal (I don't even think it classifies as metal, it's more just straight up hard rock) but they're in a different category than Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, etc. Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm the only one that doesn't consider them hair metal but I think they're in a different category of all their own. And this album is in a different category all it's own.

You're right of course. I think they get lumped in with hair metal but they are way more than that. That album turned the rock genre on its side.

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Totally in for "Appetite for Destruction"...one of the greatest albums ever.

 

Also want to cast a vote for Pearl Jam's "Ten" (it can take my emotions from one end to another),and Metallica's "And Justice For All" (anger incarnate). 

 

edit, oops: "Ten" was from '91.  My bad, but still one of the best.

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Number one for me is Revolver by The Beatles. I love the Beatles and have all of their albums but I will never understand why Sgt. Pepper is always ranked so high lol. For the record (pun intended), the Sgt. Pepper album (well, all of theirs lol) came out before I was born, so maybe it was more of a cultural impact than a musical one.

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