The Best Album Ever

[Don Gately]

Angel Dust for me.  Don't listen to it now much but for 20 years did.
Floodland - Sisters of Mercy  same thing.

[John Kimble]

Fugazi are great. I can see how they might be an acquired taste though, yet there is no chance that any of their albums could feature in a top 10 albums of all time...never mind what is being proposed here. It has been mentioned already, and I know the thread's just a bit of craic, but the mere notion of a 'best album ever' is completely preposterous. I mean, it's all subjective ultimately but it would have to be something like the White Album which, although it means nothing to me, has received almost universal acclaim. The closest I can think of on a personal level is the Downward Spiral, in that it encapsulates a perfect Desert Island disc for me...by turns heavy, noisy, then funky, angry, introspective, subtle. I have a hape of afternoon drink on me, hence the fluffy language, but you get me...

[Emphyrio]

I had that close to the top for a very long time.

[astfgyl]

something like the White Album which, although it means nothing to me, has received almost universal acclaim. The closest I can think of on a personal level is the Downward Spiral, in that it encapsulates a perfect Desert Island disc for me...by turns heavy, noisy, then funky, angry, introspective, subtle. I have a hape of afternoon drink on me, hence the fluffy language, but you get me...

I was having thoughts like that while I was listening to the White Album pretty much on repeat lately. Not that it's my favourite ever, or will be, but it would have to be something like that or The Wall or dark Side of the Moon or one of those ones that people are still going strong with 50 years later. Something by Sabbath or Priest or the like.

As for The Downward Spiral, what a class album from start to finish. I fucking love it. I picked The Fragile but there's days when TDS is numero uno and I think The Fragile just (barely) shades it by having the 2 discs of brilliance. The remasters of both of those done for vinyl a couple of years back are wonderful as well, managing to somehow highlight little things I hadn't noticed before and the low end has more beef and it reinvigorated me for listening to them another few hundred times.

[Carnage]

The Downward Spiral I played to death, or it'd be a contender for me too.

The White Album wouldn't, some of it is just plain bad, though you've got to applaud the experimentation. Sgt. Pepper's... now, there's a contender.

Dark Side Of The Moon or Rumours, now that I think of it. Two utterly perfect albums that I never get tired of.

[astfgyl]

I wouldn't be calling on the White Album either, it's great fun and must have been really something in its' time but still no. Never heard Sgt Peppers bar around 2 tracks. I'm actually not familiar with the beatles at all only my older sister used to be hopping off them when I was a young lad. Any recs? If it's as good as the White Album I'd be up for giving it a go

[Carnage]

Sgt. Pepper's, Rubber Soul (where they began to be interesting IMO, as opposed to just a pop group), Revolver, Let It Be, Abbey Road - all brilliant for the most part. Anything from Rubber Soul onward, really.

The 1967-1970 compilation is a good starting point IMO, not a dud on it (yes, I'm including Octopus's Garden, shut up), and it includes some non-album singles. The Love compilation is a good take on some of the hits - it was a mix created for a Cirque du Soleil show, and flows really well.

[astfgyl]

Sound. Must try a few of those. Love finding something that's been there all along but I never bothered trying it. Radiohead and The Cure are two like that I've stumbled upon in the last year or 2. Like I know the main big hits but never delved into the albums at all. After I listen to the White album again in a few minutes, I'll give the Rubber Soul a try.

[Carnage]

Drive My Car is one of my favourites of theirs, the production alone is such a big step up from what they'd had before.

There are a few different versions of their albums out, different masters, UK and US releases, mono and stereo versions etc., so there'll be plenty of options for you.

Help! isn't bad either, TBH.

[ldj]

I know it's impossible to decide a 'Best Album Ever', but if it were up for discussion The Beatles would be disqualified on the basis that as good as they were every album had at least one or two dogshit songs, even Revolver which is probably my favourite Beatles record has 'Yellow Submarine' on it.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Sgt.Pepper's would be the contender from The Beatles, and Animals from Floyd. Even Abbey Road, the peaks of which surpass both the White Album and Sgt.Pepper's, has a couple of real dud moments. Picking a contender from The Doors is definitely a challenge, due to the s/t, Waiting For The Sun, L.A. Woman being kinda equally flawless. A Night At The Opera is what I'd forward from Queen. Fragile from Yes. And, of course, the perfect companion to any of those contenders, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses 

[Caomhaoin]

What faggotry is this? Fugazi? The Beatles?

[ldj]

Although I'm not that knowledgeable on the genre there was a lot of fantastic stuff in the soul/r&b genres in the 60's/70's, Innervisions by Stevie Wonder is one of the best albums of all time, and one of the best sounding albums I've ever heard too.

[Carnage]

Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses

You might be onto something there...

[astfgyl]

What faggotry is this? Fugazi? The Beatles?

Got the best laugh of the day out of this. Sound.