And it took me ages to figure out it was a loving tribute to Mafia goon “Crazy Joe” Gallo.
Not a great song by any means, but it only lowers the album ever-so-slightly in my eyes.
A few others
King Crimson: “Discipline”
Yes: “Close to the Edge”
AC/DC: “Highway to Hell”
Blue Oyster Cult: “Blue Oyster Cult”
The Ramones: “Ramones Leave Home”
Rush: “Counterparts”
Lou Reed: Transformer, New York
The Smiths: Singles (they had some singles that weren’t on any albums)
Echo and the Bunnymen: Ocean Rain
By the way, thanks for the Dylan recs, even though I went and got something on my own anyway. I will put Blood on the Tracks on my (mental) to get list.
Heck, how about recommending individual songs, too? Let’s say I wanted to check out The Zombies, which one song would be the best to listen to first?
Like these picks, but I would have to say
Yes, Relayer
Blue Oyster Cult, Secret Treaties
others
Kansas, Leftoverture
Alice Cooper, Love it to Death
Grand Funk, E Pluribus Funk
astorian—Interesting choice about Yes’s Close to the Edge, but I guess it really does make sense. That’s probably the best introduction to the band, even better than the far more popular Fragile, which I’d class as the second best. My Yes introduction was 90125, which is a great album, but it doesn’t give you a great feel for the whole history of the band. I’d say that after Close to the Edge and Fragile, a Yes neophyte should pick up The Ladder, since they’re probably on their way to fandom. The Yes Album is also worth your twelve bucks (or whatever CDs cost where you live.)
For other bands:
Jefferson Starship—Dragon Fly. Throughout its thirty-some-year history, Jefferson Starsihp has been all over the map. But Dragon Fly is probably their most together album, and it’s got a lot of good stuff on it.
Devo—Freedom of Choice. This is their big commercial success, and it’s also a great introduction to the band. From this one, move on to Oh, No! It’s Devo! If you’re not tired of them by the time you get to know those two albums, you might be a fan.
They Might Be Giants—Flood. In this band’s ever-growing catalogue, their third album remains the best, and the best introduction. I have all their albums and I like all their albums, but even after all this time, nothing tops Flood, which I think might just be the most perfect album in the history of recorded music. No, scratch that: it is. Flood was my introduction to They Might Be Giants, who have been my favorite band for over fifteen years now, and I still think it’s the best possible introduction you could have to them.
Actually, any Alice Cooper, but try his new one, Dirty Diamonds. It’s a nice mix of styles from quite heavy (Run Down The Devil) to light and soft (a remake of The Left Banke’s Pretty Ballerina) to laugh your butt off funny (The Ballad Of Jesse Jane, Your Own Worst Enemy) to Stones-ish bluesy (Zombie Dance) to outright rocker (Steal That Car). There’s even rap, a collaberation with Xhibit that was originally recorded as a track on the 2004 Olympics albumn, Unity. It’s called Stand, and it’s actually not bad.
zoogirl, *Dirty Diamonds * is terrific! Startlingly good, I thought, for this phase of his career.
sorry, off the OP
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (not just his best, but one of the best albums ever)
Jimi Hendix - Electric Ladyland (ditto)
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (ditto)
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (ditto)
Mothers - We’re Only in it for the Money
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s
Stones - Let it Bleed
Jethro Tull - Benefit
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother(!)
Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock
Oh, yeah. Mustn’t forget:
Robert Zimmerman - Blonde on Blonde
Tough part about picking one King Crimson album is that each lineup had a totally different sound. I can easily imagine someone loving “Discipline” but dismissing “Court of the Crimson King” as “pompous, pretentious, overblown pseudo-classical rock.”
I can also imagine someone loving “Court of the Crimson King” but dismissing some of the Wetton-era stuff as too close to heavy metal.
Point is, I could easily pick any of several different KC albums as a masterpiece, but people who like their OTHER phases would think I was nuts!
Well, Time of the Season is essential, but I’m sure you’ve heard that before. I’d offer up Care of Cell 44 for its perfect pop goodness or Changes for the beautiful vocal harmonies.
The only one I’d add that hasn’t been mentioned:
Graceland - Paul Simon
Peter Gabriel: Us
Allman Brother Band: Brothers & Sisters
The Band: Songs from Big Pink
Rolling Stones: Let it Bleed
Pink Floyd: Learning to Fly
Dylan: Blood on the tracks and Desire are vying for the best, but number 3 would have to be Oh Mercy.
(Shhh…I don’t like the Beatles :eek: )
What would you reccommend for: Pearl Jam (besides 10)?
Hell, I’d recommend “Vs.” (with the animal on the cover) over any other PJ album by far. That’s one of my favorite albums of all time.
Some other alt-rock recs:
Pixies - Doolittle (Surfer Rosa is great too, but Doolittle is a bit better.)
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is another great album but not quite as good.)
Radiohead - The Bends (OK Computer is good, but ridiculously overrated.)
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (there’s not much debating this one.)
Smashing Pumpkins - Meloncollie and the Infinite Sadness
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned “Greatest Hits” by (insert artist here). Guess I’m not the only one who detests Greatest Hits albums who aren’t by Journey?
Yield is Pearl Jam’s best album, and in my opinion the best album of the 90s. Note that this album is NOT for Pearl Jam casual fans whose favorite song in the early 90s was Jeremy.
Most Greatist Hits albums have zero flow. I do, however, like The Bangles’ Greatest Hits.
I’ll weigh in by echoing what others have said:
First choice: “Highway 61 Revisted”
2nd - “Blonde on Blonde”
3rd - “Bringing It All Back Home”
4th - “Blood on the Tracks”
5th - “John Wesley Harding”
6th - “Desire”
Other worthy additions: I’m surprised I see no love for “Infidels” here. I think “License to Kill,” Neighborhood Bully, “Sweetheart Like You,” and “Union Sundown” are great tunes. And having Mark Knopfler and Mick Taylor on guitars makes for some memorable playing.
“Before the Flood” is a live album with Dylan and the Band. It has a great song selection and gives you an idea of the way Bob reworks his old standards for live play.
Finally, “Love and Theft” is, in IMHO, the best thing Dylan’s done since “Blood on the Tracks!” A strong statement, to be sure, but I love that album!