Nothing much has been happening on this board lately, so I decided that it would be cool to start this up. Basically, the idea is to form a list of the best albums of all time, according to LPA users. How this will work is that you can nominate 5 albums right now. After a little while, i'll take that and form a top 50-100 (depends on how many people participate), and then we'll vote on those, and eventually shorten the list to about 25 albums. Anyway, here are my 5 nominations. Also, put why you nominated them. Muse- Origin of Symmetry Amazing, eclectic, and brilliant music from one of britains best bands. Combining elements of metal, electronica, pop, prog, and classical into one strange disc of near perfection, Origin Of Symmetry is one of the best albums of all time. Weezer- Pinkerton One of the most emotional albums i've ever heard, Pinkerton is a pop masterpiece, taking everything great about the bands debut and covering it with raw lyrics and distortion to create a frustrated, angry masterpiece. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication Balancing all of the Peppers sounds in one great disc, Californication is the bands best effort. Jumping from genre to genre and nailing pretty much everything, this is a cohesive, classic disc. The Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness A double disc with almost no low points, Mellon Collie sees the Pumpkins fleshing out their sound and delivering with every song. From hard rock to electronic, Smashing Pumpkins rarely dissapoint here. Weezer- The Blue Album Pop perfection. No bad songs, no bad moments, lots of emotion and some beautiful instrumentation. The bands first masterpiece, this is an album that everyone should listen to.
Alexisonfire - Watch Out! A genre defining album, and amazing by anyone's standards. The only recent post-hardcore album that has came close to beating it was Aof's next effort, Crisis, and even that was a long way off. Foo Fighters - There Is Nothing Left To Lose After rediscovering them recently I had to include a Foos album. I picked this over their self-titled as it is much more varied, with everything from power ballads to salsa to punk, all in one accessible yet tasteful rock package. Weezer - Pinkerton What TCC said. The ultimate rebuttal to the critics and fans who dismissed them as a novelty act. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 A sci-fi themed hip-hop/prog album produced by Dan Nakamura (Gorillaz) featuring John Lennon's son Sean and Damon Albarn of Blur singing a couple of the hooks, among others. If that doesn't pique your interest I don't know what will, and moreover if you're a hip-hop hater who isn't converted by this album I doubt anything will work. May I add that it's not a huge favourite of mine but I've listened to it somewhat and I think it's an album other LPAers will like, so as much as anything I've included it for those reasons.
Sorry for the double post, I'm using my PS3 and I ran out of space. I'll edit this post with the rest (Including a replacement for Pinkerton if need be) shortly. Add: Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute
Strata - Strata Presents: The End Of The World very different in every song, amazing lyrical content with much thought behind them, musically very interessting and with absolutely no lows throughout the album
Mutemath - Mutemath: A brilliant album from start to end. Very well written with some incredibly catchy songs while maintaining a very atmospheric sound. Every member seems to really excell at what they do. I'll have to post more when I'm not on my iPod
I'll just post my picks now, and write later why I chose them. The Offspring - Smash Metallica - Self-titled Jay-Z - Black Album Madonna - Ray Of Light Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Green Day // Dookie Silverchair // Neon Ballroom AFI // Sing The Sorrow The Killers // Hot Fuss Kanye West // The College Dropout Each of these albums are my own personal favorites that I cannot get enough of. If you heard or own any of these, you just know. I don't really feel like explaining, lol.
Eminem-The Eminem show Atreyu- Lead Sails Slipknot-All Hope Is Gone(idk bout this one i love it now but idk if it will stand the test of time) All That Remains- The Fall Of Ideals Hollywood Undead-Swan Songs Metallica-Self titled
Funeral for a Friend's Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation I don't really think I've got to say much about it. I'm sure there will be plenty of other people who'll agree with my choice.
My Top 10 Albums of All Time Limited to one entry per artist, no specific order: AFI // Sing the Sorrow (2003) This is my most listened to album in the last 2 years. From the haunting chant of the opening track “Miseria Cantare” (translates to Miserable Song) to the amazing closing ballad “This Time Imperfect” (which would be the song I would want for my funeral), every song is near perfect. The lyrics are the perfect mix of poetic ambiguity and decipherable emotivity. The underlying concept of the cyclic nature of birth, life, and death adds more the the user who is looking for it, but never infringes on the actual musical merit of the individual songs. Highlight Tracks: Death of Seasons, The Time Imperfect, ...But Home is Nowhere, The Leaving Song Part 2...though every song is brilliant. Check It Out If You Like: emotional and poetic lyrics, soaring higher pitched vocals, tasteful screaming, and catchy intrumentalization. Bright Eyes // Fevers and Mirrors (2000) While Sing the Sorrow is my most listened to album in the last 2 years, this CD has my 2 most listened to songs. This is a CD driven by it's brilliant lyrics (and the mastermind behind it, Conor Oberst, was just 20 when he released this). The first real CD by Bright Eyes, after releasing a few EPs and collections of songs, and it is their best to date. The acoustics and all other instruments, as well as Oberst's voice itself are just vehicles meant to support and delivery the lyrical content. The lyrics are raw, direct, emotive, and powerful. Highlight Tracks: The Calender Hung Itself, Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh, The Center of the World Check It Out If You Like: Powerful, emotional lyrics delivered by raw vocals and supported by competent acoustics Pain of Salvation // BE (2005) This is as much a genius piece of philosophical reflection as it is a CD, and that is it's biggest strength and biggest weakness. If you appreciate it, you will find the most brilliant concept album ever made. If you don't...you might be constantly waiting for the music to start again, and wonder why they keep mentioning the earth's population. I appreciate it, though this is the only song on here that I skip ¼ or so of the tracks almost every time I put it on. The thing is the other tracks are simply that good. If you want to listen to the music, you can skip over 25% of the CD or so and still have enough music to satisfy you. If you want to listen to it fully, sit with your lyrics book open and follow along for a thesis on God's relation to humanity, on creation to creator, on human nature, and on capitalism. This combined by the best vocals I've ever heard, competent lyrics, brilliant instrumentalization, and a spanning of genres from folk to metal ballads to prog metal to broadway music. Oh yeah, and all the song titles are in improper Latin. Highlight Tracks: Iter Impius, Nihil Morari, Lilium Cruentus (Deus Nova), Diffidentia (Breaching The Core), Dae Pecuniae Check It Out If You Like: Powerful and versatile vocals, brilliant philosophical concepts and themes, diverse styles, and genius intrumentalization. Nine Inch Nails // The Downward Spiral (1994) It was a challenge to choose between this and The Fragile. The Fragile has more songs I like, but it is a double disk so it also has more I dislike. The Downward Spiral, written when Trent Reznor was approaching suicide, is a bleak CD. Yet, for this reason it is also inspiring and cathartic as he pulling himself out of it. The lyrics are raw and direct, though lack a poetic, clever, or well told edge of other releases on this list. The songs are angry, aggressive, and noisy- showcasing Reznor's ability to create art out of noise. Highlight Tracks: Heresy, Mr. Self Destruct, Piggy, Hurt Check It Out If You Like: Industrial music for the masses, antitheism, noise, and aggression Linkin Park // Hybrid Theory (2000) The first CD to really define my own musical taste. I don't listen to this too much lately, but for 3 years this was the only band I listened to. The lyrics are solid (unlike on some later releases) and even if it is an epitome of teen angst, it does it perfectly. While other CDs were raw, this CD is polished to utter perfection. Every note is perfectly placed, every word carefully written, it is no wonder this was the best selling CD of 2001. Rap, rock, pop, and electronic influences merge perfectly for this masterpiece. Highlight Tracks: Forgotten, A Place For my Head, Pushing Me Away, and pretty much every other Check It Out If You Like: The fusion of rap, rock, and electronic influences polished to a pop sheen
Yeah, that. And, because, I suck at explaining, I won't bother: Coldplay: "Parachutes" Nine Inch Nails: "Year Zero" Saosin: "Translating The Name" EP Innerpartysystem: "Innerpartysystem"
White Pony - Deftones Origin of Symmetry - Muse Master of Puppets - Metallica The Artist in the Ambulance - Thrice System of a Down - System of a Down
esaul 17, doesnt Miseria Cantare mean Sing The Sorrow? Anyway, i'm going to do a tally just to show what the standings are right now: Muse- Origin of Symmetry- 2 votes Weezer- Pinkerton- 2 votes Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory- 2 votes AFI - Sing The Sorrow- 2 votes Nas - Illmatic- 2 votes Weezer- The Blue Album- 1 votes Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication- 1 vote The Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness- 1 vote Alexisonfire - Watch Out!- 1 vote Foo Fighters - There Is Nothing Left To Lose- 1 vote Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030- 1 vote Strata - Strata Presents: The End Of The World- 1 vote Mutemath - Mutemath- 1 vote The Offspring - Smash- 1 vote Metallica - Self-titled- 1 vote Jay-Z - Black Album- 1 vote Madonna - Ray Of Light- 1 vote Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile- 1 vote Green Day - Dookie- 1 vote Silverchair - Neon Ballroom- 1 vote The Killers - Hot Fuss- 1 vote Kanye West - The College Dropout- 1 vote Green Day - American Idiot- 1 vote Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral- 1 vote Pain of Salvation - BE- 1 vote Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors- 1 vote Coldplay - Parachutes- 1 vote Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero- 1 vote Saosin - Translating The Name EP- 1 vote Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem- 1 vote White Pony - Deftones- 1 vote Master of Puppets - Metallica- 1 vote Thrice - The Artist In The Ambulance- 1 vote System of a Down - System of a Down- 1 vote Lots of diversity here. I'm glad to see Pinkerton and Origin of Symmetry in the vote 5. Be the way, Jacob Havik, I didnt count your votes because you put six. Post again with 5, and i'll add those. And, the_chemist, i'm assuming that you meant that you would also inlude HT.