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

[Aprude51]

When it comes to whole album listening, I enjoy concept albums:

• Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
• All Hail West Texas - The Mountain Goats
• Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrick Lamar
• The Sophtware Slump - Grandaddy
• Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips

 

[suttondesign]

In the case of classical music one of the big advantages of digital is exactly that you can listen to complete works without having to keep changing sides and records. Digital is much more conducive to enjoying symphonic music and opera music than vinyl.

True, but organizing the files is a mean little bitch of a job.

 

[Robin L]

True, but organizing the files is a mean little bitch of a job.

Not really. I throw everything into ITUNES, make folders for files and load into my DAP.

 

[daftcombo]

Not a lot of albums are flawless front to back. I have a small list only:

NEW ORDER - Technique
THE SMITHS - The Queen is Dead
DAFT PUNK - Homework
APHEX TWIN - Richard D James Album
KMD - Black Bastards
MADVILLAIN - Madvillainy

and some DJ mixes like I-F - Mixed Up in The Hague vol. 1 & 2


People here mentionning Bach, Beethoven etc. should say which recordings, otherwise it is not very informative.

 

[raif71]

I've collected a Lot of recordings of Schubert's "Great C Major" symphony. The Charles Munch/Boston Symphony Orchestra recording was reissued in RCA's "Living Stereo" SACD series, along with their performance of the "Unfinished" symphony. Really a shock, as the tempos are "Historically Informed" [translation: really fast] and the ensemble is immaculate. The sound of the C major symphony is great, the "Unfinished"less so.

View attachment 33160

I have this recording and several more. At one time, I just couldn't get enough listening to Schubert's 8th that got me hunting renditions of it.

 

[Natchie]

The Kinks put out great concept LPs
Muswell Hillbillies-
Lola vs Powerman and the MoneygoRound-
Arthur
Preservation Acts 1 and 2.

 

[Robin L]

I have this recording and several more. At one time, I just couldn't get enough listening to Schubert's 8th that got me hunting renditions of it.

There's a Furtwangler (Berlin Philharmonic?) recording, 1950's, recorded in Paris, a live recording issued on Fonit Cetra, that is the most expressive I've heard so far. Other than that, the Bruno Walter/NYPO recording (Columbia, early stereo) is unusually lyrical.

 

[raif71]

There's a Furtwangler (Berlin Philharmonic?) recording, 1950's, recorded in Paris, a live recording issued on Fonit Cetra, that is the most expressive I've heard so far. Other than that, the Bruno Walter/NYPO recording (Columbia, early stereo) is unusually lyrical.

Thanks for the references. I have the Bruno Walter's but will check out Furtwangler's. I have his Schubert's 9th but not the 8th.

 

[Fregly]

Genesis: Seconds Out
Peter Gabriel: Plays Live (CD), Secret World (BD/DVD)
Chris Rea: Road to hell
Night Wish: Showtime, Storytime (BD/DVD). SQ is not really good but the performance is great
Joe Jackson: Body and Soul
Linda Ronstadt: Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
Eva Cassidy: Live at Blues Alley
Long John Baldry: On Stage Tonight - Baldry's Out
Jan Garbarek: Rites
Pat Metheny: As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
Viktoria Mullova plays Arvo Pärt

Time for bed now ...

Viktoria Mullova does not get mentioned enough. My favorite violinist.

 

[JJB70]

I have this recording and several more. At one time, I just couldn't get enough listening to Schubert's 8th that got me hunting renditions of it.

I can understand that. I am a huge fan of Schubert's 8th & 9th and have a few recordings but the symphony I can't get enough of and have far too many recordings of is Bruckner's 8th.

 

[REK2575]

All 16 hours, folks.

 

[REK2575]

Some of the Bruckner symphonies were also not very vinyl friendly, especially the Celibidache recordings.

Some might argue that Celibidache's Bruckner recordings are not even digital friendly...

 

[JJB70]

Some might argue that Celibidache's Bruckner recordings are not even digital friendly...

I find that Celibidache performances veer between the sublime and the, well, not sublime. At his best he could conduct performances which were exceptionally powerful and insightful, and utterly mesmerising. I have the EMI/Warner Bruckner 3-9 set and the 8th is something like 106 minutes. It sounds bonkers and a recipe for wrist slashing levels of tedium yet I find it spellbinding.

 

[Commish65]

love reading these recommendations! I will insist that everyone listens to

The Clash - London Calling
The Ramones - Rocket to Russia
Rush - 2112

at least once or at least 1000 times

 

[REK2575]

I find that Celibidache performances veer between the sublime and the, well, not sublime. At his best he could conduct performances which were exceptionally powerful and insightful, and utterly mesmerising. I have the EMI/Warner Bruckner 3-9 set and the 8th is something like 106 minutes. It sounds bonkers and a recipe for wrist slashing levels of tedium yet I find it spellbinding.

Appreciate your comments and not in any way meaning to contradict, just my own opinion -- Celi's Bruckner is to me Exhibit A in the misguided "Slow = Profound" school of interpretation, taken to its extreme. I can't listen to any of his Bruckner with enjoyment -- it just sounds like a shapeless mass of sound to me -- not even student-orchestra 'let's give this a try' first time rehearsal slow, just painfully, ploddingly SLLLOOOWWW...

But to paraphrase the Dude, that's just like my opinion, man...

 

[Natchie]

Actually now I think of it, there is one underrated album, Delaney and Bonnie's Accept No Substitute, that I always enjoyed listening to. I got this album from subscribing to the Rolling Stone and loved it ever since. Brass instruments, piano, drums, everything coalesce together with the voices. Major musicians were playing here with Delaney and Bonnie long before they made it big or went on tours with Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker.

 

[Midwest Blade]

Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

 

[Robin L]

Thanks for the references. I have the Bruno Walter's but will check out Furtwangler's. I have his Schubert's 9th but not the 8th.

Well, here it is in all its passionate, low-fi glory. To the best of my knowledge Furtwangler has two recordings of the Great C Major Symphony, the famous DGG recording and an air check from the war years that showed up on a typically bad Turnabout transfer.

 

[digicidal]

Although it's not indicative of quality whatsoever - most of the time it depends on my schedule or location, more than the selection itself:
If I'm sitting at my computer or only have 30-40 minutes to listen to... then it's likely to be all over the place. On the other hand, if I'm in my car or have an hour or more - then whatever I pick will likely be a full album. (That and using voice commands to pick a single song is tedious as all hell).

Most of the time if I can't listen from start to finish - I don't start at all. I do occasionally have those days where I skip a track though... even great albums usually have that one questionable decision. Just depends on mood as to how easy it is to shrug it off.

 

[Thomas savage]

Great thread , I will think some and post my ten at some point.