# Perfect Albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287 "2003-07-09T18:26:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/1 "2003-07-09T18:26:56Z")
What are your ‘perfect’ albums? Albums that could not be improved by adding tracks to or removing tracks from, and for which the artists involved are in your opinion playing at their best. Give reasons for your choices if you want Perfect Dark Side of the Moon : Pink Floyd - For me the perfect concept album, every track is individually brilliant, and they all fit together into a coherent whole. Drama : Yes - I was never a fan of Jon Anderson’s singing, so this is for me the best of the Yes albums. B’Boom : King Crimson - The best live album Jazz at the Pawn Shop : Various - An audiophile CD I bought for my audiophile brother. Not just perfect recording, but perfect musicianship as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/2 "2003-07-09T18:49:39Z")
Hounds of love - Kate Bush. Every track is awesome, and the sum is greater than the parts. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/3 "2003-07-09T19:00:07Z")
Kind Of Blue – Miles Davis Travels – Pat Metheny Group Time Out – Dave Brubeck Quartet Music From Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini Sketches Of Spain – Miles Davis w/ Gil Evans Orch. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/4 "2003-07-09T19:01:24Z")
Graceland - Paul Simon Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan London Calling - The Clash ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/5 "2003-07-09T19:05:05Z")
Brubeck Quartet: Live at Carnegie Hall (60s). These guys hit a groove that is seldom heard in live performances and Joe Morello’s extended drum solo on “Castillian Drums” is one of the all-time jazz highlights, IMHO. Eagles: “Greatest Hits” (well, okay, it’s a greatest hits album, but not all hits albums have no losers) Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: the Duke Ellington album Miles Davis: “Birth of The Cool” ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/6 "2003-07-09T19:09:21Z")
Sailing the Seas of Cheese–Primus Ten–Peal Jam Anything Johnny Cash has released ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/7 "2003-07-09T19:15:59Z")
The Band – The Band Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here ---
**Author:** ![LSD-25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@LSD-25](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSD-25)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/8 "2003-07-09T19:19:16Z")
The White Album - The Beatles (I would like to have included Revolver and Abbey Road, but they could both be improved by removing Ringo’s renditions of Yellow Submarine and Octopus’s Garden). Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life Prince - Sign O The Times ---
**Author:** ![DaveX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DaveX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveX)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/9 "2003-07-09T19:36:15Z")
Gotta second Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”… I’ll submit for you consideration: “The Bends” Radiohead “Take Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday” Creeper Lagoon “Gentleman” The Afghan Whigs “Adam and Eve” The Catherine Wheel ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/10 "2003-07-09T19:52:25Z")
“John Barleycorn Must Die” – Traffic “Who’s Next” and “Who Are You” – The Who “Abbey Road” “Atom Heart Mother” – Pink Floyd “Led Zeppelin” and “Led Zeppelin IV” “The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus” – Spirit “Workingman’s Dead” – Grateful Dead “Moondance” – Van Morrison “Lights in the Night” – Flash and the Pan “Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround” – Kinks “The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle” – Bruce Springsteen “Full House” – J. Geils Band “Allman Brothers Band Live at Fillmore East” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/11 "2003-07-09T20:34:47Z")
Gotta second _At Fillmore East_ by the Allmans, and I’d take the Dead’s _American Beauty_. Radiohead’s _OK Computer_ really does strike me as a perfect record. Something about it just makes it a really complete listen. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bibliophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophile)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/12 "2003-07-09T23:10:12Z")
“Grace” by Jeff Buckley - The man simply had the voice of an angel, and I don’t even believe in angels. “Living with the Law” by Chris Whitley. If anyone’s voice can be described as wise and world weary, his is. ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/13 "2003-07-09T23:15:48Z")
Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/14 "2003-07-09T23:33:53Z")
Pet Sounds - Beach Boys Hysteria - Def Leppard Chicago II - Chicago Chicago IX - Chicago 90125 - Yes Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder Devil’s Dance - Gil Shaham Look of Love - Diana Krall And, really, I always liked Porgy and Bess - Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/15 "2003-07-09T23:41:42Z")
THE JOSHUA TREE , U2 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/16 "2003-07-10T00:26:10Z")
I’ll second Workingman’s Dead and American Beatry and add: Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter - The Incredibie String Band Ladies of the Canyon and Blue - Joni Mitchell Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan The Lady and the Unicorn - John Renbourn Benefit - Jethro Tull Liege & Lief - Fairport Convention Days of Future Past - The Moody Blues Innervisions - Stevie Wonder Living with Ghosts - Patty Griffin Whew! ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/17 "2003-07-10T00:32:43Z")
**Aja** ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Major\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/18 "2003-07-10T00:48:10Z")
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco Music From the Big Pink - The Band Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys London Caliing - The Clash Kind of Blue - Miles Davis ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/19 "2003-07-10T01:29:07Z")
Joshua Tree seconded. ---
**Author:** ![skin2skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@skin2skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skin2skin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287/20 "2003-07-10T01:42:39Z")
**ACDC - Back in Black** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-albums/187287.md?page=2)