What are some records that are great from start-to-finish that everyone should hear, regardless of genre or era?

[Blake Klondike]

Was hoping folks might be able to throw out some records that Should Be In Every Home-- things everyone should at least listen closely to all the way through at least once? Besides all the usual suspects (Sgt. Pepper, Dark Side of the Moon, etc.) here are some suggestions:

Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1941- Michael Penn
Skylarking- XTC
10,000 Years- The Honeydogs
Up- Peter Gabriel
The Fragile- Nine Inch Nails
The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
John Wesley Harding's New Deal
Here Come The Choppers- Loudon Wainright III

 

[FooYatChong]

Here some albums I played several times in the last year:

Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited // Mercury Rev
Metamodern Sounds in Country Music // Sturgill Simpson
Dalida // Ibrahim Maalouf
Felt Mountain // Goldfrapp
Push the Sky Away // Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Mount Royal // Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge
Dream River // Bill Callahan
MassEducation // St. Vincent
King Of America // Elvis Costello
Quiet Signs // Jessica Pratt
Leftism // Leftfield
Guitar in the Space Age // Bill Frisell
No Deal // Melanie De Biasio
Golden Hour // Kacey Musgraves
Hebron Gate // Groundation

 

[Robin L]

I had been listening to side one of Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken" for DECADES without flipping the record over. Now I have no more LPs [hallelujah] and play everything off my DAPs. Surprise, surprise, my favorite songs from that classic album are on "side two", particularly "Fat Man in the Bathtub".

 

[FrantzM]

Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
Lyle Lovett: Joshua Judges Ruth
The Notorious B.I.G: Trying to Stay Alive
John Coltrane : A love Supreme
LED Zeppelin: I,II,III, IV
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
Beethoven 5 ,6 & 9
Bach: Mass in B
Bach Sonatas
Bob Marley: Exodus, Babylon By Bus
Hugh Masakela : Hope
Charles Mingus: Oh hum. Tijuana Moods,
Beatles : The White Album, Segt Pepper ...
There are more

 

[Patrick1958]

Paul McCartney & Wings : Band on the run
Vangelis & Jon Anderson : Short Stories
Vangelis : Albedo 0.39
Vangelis : Spiral
Fleetwood Mac : Rumours
AON : The best of Art of Noise (1988 Cd version blue cover)
Peter Gabriel : Car (first solo album of Gabriel named 1, but referred to as car (him sitting in a blue car)
Madonna : Ray of Light
Alan Parson Project : Eye in the Sky
Simon & Garfunkel : The Essential Simon & Garfunkel
Nina Simone : The Essential
Enya : Watermark

 

[Robin L]

Beethoven 5 ,6 & 9

Of course there are a jillion versions of these, all different.

The critical consensus for the 5th goes to the mid-70's DGG recording of Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic. That recording initially took up both sides of a 12 inch LP, then issued as a single CD, later paired to Kleiber's almost as good recording of the 7th symphony. I've got the SACD reissue, featuring a 4.0 surround mix, as the session was recorded in surround sound. That version, in addition to having more room sound, has a better tonal balance, not quite as bright/hard as the 2-channel mix.

My favorite recording of the "Pastorale" is Bohm and the Vienna Philharmonic, with recording quality above the mid-seventies average for DGG. "Normal", relaxed tempi, wonderful orchestral sound.

There's way too many good to great versions of the Chorale Symphony. The recent Riccardo Chailly/Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra complete set of all nine symphonies on Decca has everything to recommend it, the "Ninth" being a stand-out performance. Excellent sound.

 

[Blake Klondike]

I had been listening to side one of Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken" for DECADES without flipping the record over. Now I have no more LPs [hallelujah] and play everything off my DAPs. Surprise, surprise, my favorite songs from that classic album are on "side two", particularly "Fat Man in the Bathtub".

"Fat Man In The Bathtub" is great! I like the version on "Sailing to America" too. John Sebastian's version of "Dixie Chicken" is worth checking out, too. The feel is killer.

 

[Blake Klondike]

Paul McCartney & Wings : Band on the run
Vangelis & Jon Anderson : Short Stories
Vangelis : Albedo 0.39
Vangelis : Spiral
Fleetwood Mac : Rumours
AON : The best of Art of Noise (1988 Cd version blue cover)
Peter Gabriel : Car (first solo album of Gabriel named 1, but referred to as car (him sitting in a blue car)
Madonna : Ray of Light
Alan Parson Project : Eye in the Sky
Simon & Garfunkel : The Essential Simon & Garfunkel
Nina Simone : The Essential
Enya : Watermark

Ray of Light is interesting-- that was the record where Madonna started taking guitar lessons, I think. The producer sampled her playing her own parts for some of the tunes. She said she was terrified of those recording sessions!

 

[Ron Texas]

Abbey Road

 

[Robin L]

Sorry about the skip:

 

[scott wurcer]

 

[Wombat]

 

[Blumlein 88]

The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East live recording with long versions of their songs in a steady groove.

It is so good it is a double album, and you'll need to let both play all the way thru.

According to more than a few people the best live album ever recorded.

I'd also add Little Feat Waiting for Columbus as another great live album.

Several of my picks are already listed like Kinda Blue.

I would also list the Led Zeppelin I thru IV, Houses of the Holy, and the Song Remains the same.

ZZ Top tres Hombres

Stevie Ray Vaughn The Sky is Crying.

I'm not going to list all the classical music. Anything I consider worth owning and listening to in that genre is a listen all the way thru proposition. Not listening to all of the good recordings just doesn't seem right. As if you didn't get to hear at all if you only hear part of a symphony.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Tales of Mystery and Imagination from Alan Parsons Project.

Now that I've found you from Allison Krauss.

Born to Run from Bruce Springsteen.

Feels like Rain from Buddy Guy.

Ice Pickin' from Albert Collins.

These Blues from Charles Brown.

Collective Soul from Collective Soul.

Tidal from Fiona Apple.

Indigos from Duke Ellington.

Godsmack from Godsmack.

Winter into Spring from George Winston.

Strong Persuader from Robert Cray.

Fat City from Shawn Colvin.

Most Pink Floyd albums, but everyone knows this or knows it isn't to their taste.

 

[Wombat]

NIGHTBIRD - Eva Cassidy. 2CD+DVD

 

[ripvw]

Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic
Alison Krauss & Union Station: New Favorite
Ambrosia: Ambrosia
Aretha Franklin: any record...every record
Bill Evans, Scott LeFaro, Paul Motian: Portrait in Jazz and Explorations
Billy Joel: 52nd Street
Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisted
Bonnie Raitt: Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw
Boston: Boston
Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four
Chris Issak: Heart Shaped World
Crosby, Stills & Nash: Crosby, Stills & Nash
Donald Fagen: The Nightfly
Don Henley: Building the Perfect Beast
Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis
Eagles: Eagles, Desperado, On the Border, One of these Nights, Hotel California and The Long Run
Ella Fitzgerald: same as Aretha...
Emmylou Harris: ditto...
Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt: Trio and Trio II

started listening to these again - will have to finish the list some other time...

 

[BDWoody]

The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East live recording with long versions of their songs in a steady groove.

It is so good it is a double album, and you'll need to let both play all the way thru.

According to more than a few people the best live album ever recorded.

From my limited experience I agree with that.

I'd also add the campy spectacle of showmanship that is Neil Diamond's 'Hot August Night.' At least once, although that may be enough.

Love him or hate him, he put on a show.

 

[gene_stl]

John Fahey Requia
Jefferson Airplane Crown of Creation
Sgt Pepper's Rubber Soul Revolver
Tommy
Pepe Romero "Flamenco" on Philips. One of the best vinyl discs ever pressed. Quiet pressing and perfect playing.
Olatunji Drums of Passion. More Drums of Passion
Kotekan
Bach Brandenburg Concertos especially 5
Bach Harpsichord Concerto in D minor
and , and,......

 

[Dogen]

Tales of Mystery and Imagination from Alan Parsons Project.

Now that I've found you from Allison Krauss.

Born to Run from Bruce Springsteen.

Feels like Rain from Buddy Guy.

Ice Pickin' from Albert Collins.

These Blues from Charles Brown.

Collective Soul from Collective Soul.

Tidal from Fiona Apple.

Indigos from Duke Ellington.

Godsmack from Godsmack.

Winter into Spring from George Winston.

Strong Persuader from Robert Cray.

Fat City from Shawn Colvin.

Most Pink Floyd albums, but everyone knows this or knows it isn't to their taste.

Indigos from Duke Ellington!

Yes, not the best Ellington album perhaps but my favorite. It really has a lush, relaxing vibe. The performances and sound quality are stellar.

 

[Robin L]

Indigos from Duke Ellington!

Yes, not the best Ellington album perhaps but my favorite. It really has a lush, relaxing vibe. The performances and sound quality are stellar.

Yes.
I'm fond of "All Star Road Band", both volumes:

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