20 Albums You Should Own, But Probably Don't

[Upgrade]

I don't think I can come up with 20, but here are a few gems that are not wildly popular:

Mermaid Avenue, Volume 1 - Billy Bragg and Wilco

Magnolia Soundtrack - the Aimee Mann songs

The Hour of the Bewildebeast - Badly Drawn Boy

When I Was Born for the 7th Time - Cornershop

Either/Or - Elliott Smith

Chain Gang of Love - The Raveonettes

Illadelph Halflife - The Roots

 

[LCA]

In no particular order:

Cat Power - You Are Free
Destroyer - Streethawk: A Seduction
The Wrens - The Meadowlands
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Blur - Parklife
Spoon - A Series of Sneaks
LCD Soundsysem - LCD Soundsystem
The Rapture - Echoes
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World
Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights
M. Ward - Transistor Radio
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder
Air - Talkie Walkie
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die
Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On

 

[Family_Dog]

To stick close to your original post here's a couple of my favorites, one totally from left field.


And from left field:
Sense, The Lightening Seeds. While I usually consider this music "lightweight fluffy stuff" I've come to really appreciate these tightly written, catchy little pop tunes over the years. The song Sense got a fair amount of radio play and you may be familiar with it. But the rest of the CD is nearly as good with my favorite being Where Flowers Fade. I'd be shocked if anyone reading this thread has this little gem in their collection. Ian Broudie has been around the block and worked with a bunch of other musicians so you may have heard of him from other efforts.

http://www.lightning-seeds.co.uk/biography.htm

Consider yourself then shocked. I have had the album on CD for probably 10 - 12 years, great stuff!

 

[mustang_steve]

Here's a few from my collection:

1) Johnny Cash: The legend of

This album is a good summary of his works, and even has his rendition of NIN's song "Hurt"...he manages to take an already powerful song and take it to levels you didn't even know existed. Be warned though, hurt is a pretty dark and gloomy song...it's not for everyone. I am not a country music fan, with Cash being the only exception.

2) Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) (I would have the proper disc name if my Mom gave back the disc...it's been 2 years...she should buy her own already! sheesh....that was my souvenir from visiting Norway, and seeing the regions where he grew up)

An awesome orchestra, and an equally awesome composer. This is another must for any classical music nut. Grieg was the composer that actually got me into liking classical music...his works have a soul to them that I just can't find in the works of most other composers.

3) Rammstein: Rosenrot

Yes it's metal, and Rammstein, but put your thoughts about him behind...this album is actually good. This album is a rather interesting metal work...it's not the growling screamfest you remember from him back in his album "Sehnsucht" (spelling could be wrong)...this time around it's melodic lyrics mixed with aggressive guitar and drum work.

Yeah just 3 entries...the rest of the stuff are things I like, but I can't reccomend to many people.


edit: OK one as a band, since I can't decide on a "best" albums: Nightwish... goth metal with a good mix of classical and metal voicals...very interesting sound.

And one more album: Lacrimosa, Echos. Lacrimosa is a strange goth metal group, and their sound is worth checking out. They start this album out with a symphonic piece that lasts a rather long time, but is quite nice. The rest of the album is dark and emotional, as is their style. It's hard to describe them, but it's quite different from what you would expect. This is an album that even friends of mine who dislike goth music really got into.

 

[Duffinator]

Consider yourself then shocked. I have had the album on CD for probably 10 - 12 years, great stuff!

Ok I'm shocked.

 

[catacon]

Let's see:

Mike Stern - These Times
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
New Pornographs - Electric Version
Skavoovie and the Epitones - Fat Footin'
The Smiths - Singles
Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters -- everybody probably has this, but oh well
Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps) -- or any of there stuff
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
The Grey Boy Allstars - West Coast Boogaloo (with Fred Wesley) -- probably one of my favorite albums ever
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out -- amazing
Christon Rafalides - Manhatten Vibes
Organic Grooves - Live in New York
The Phenomenauts - Rockets and Robots

That's all I got for now.

 

[SysteX]

I only have one suggestion for now:

John Petrucci/Jordan Rudess - An Evening With John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess

Some may recognize John Petrucci from Dream Theater--this album is less dark than most DT stuff, and has much more jazz influence. Rudess is a master of jazz/prog rock piano in his own right. Certainly something to give a listen to for those who like the prog. rock/ jazz music circles.

 

[Roland67]

First Installment

Bill Withers Greatest Hits (sorry about the words 'Greatest Hits'. it is a killer album)

Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X

Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians - Trance Side

 

[caupina]

I think both the Motown Hits albums of Michael Donald are 'must' have ones... beautifully produced and engineered... along with all of Donald Fagan's works & Steely Dan. Also, I absolutely love the English band 'Incognito". I don't know if any of you heard of them or like the acid jazz/jazz funk style music they deliver. I have all their albums and...man, are they good!

Finally an Incognito fan. , I thought I was alone on this one. Great band, excellent musicians, too bad they don't come to the States too often (if ever).

 

[stratman]

Aja

One seminal album of the 70's that influenced alot of the urban jazz guys of today is Steely Dan's AJA, Some of the best musicians money can buy played in that album. From Wayne Shorter(who played with Miles), Victor Feldman, Lee Ritenour, Steve Gadd, Joe Sample, Chuck Rainey, etc., etc., guys that generally wouldn't be jamming together came on board to do an album which in my opinion was principal in defining Steely Dan not just as a rock, jazz, fussion, and pop outfit (really 2 guys with a lot of imagination), but as a creative conduit to explore what different styles of music can do when properly put together.

Critics have said the album is too polished, too clean and analytical. Is this bad? I don't know. What I do know is: if you want to hear some of the best musicians in the world playing at their best (specially Steve Gadd's solo on the track AJA) get this CD. It blew me away back in '78 and it still gives me chills when I hear some of the solos in various tracks.

 

[ChrisJam]

Twenty-ish CDs I recommend

As I've said in other threads, we have a lot of CDs. Let me list some of the ones that one or both of us love, ones that might not be too well known.



POP & ROCK & ALTERNATIVE (no particular order):

1. John Mellencamp: "Dance Naked"

I enjoy Mellencamp in general, and how can you go wrong with a fun CD that starts out, "I just want you to dance naked..."?


2. Nellie McKay: "Get Away from Me"

McKay is a breath of fresh air! A good friend turned me on to her a couple years ago, and I fell in love with her. I'm eagerly awaiting her next CD ("Get" is her debut album), but though it done and the CDs have been pressed, there's a big hold-up, because of legal issues. Who knows when--or if--it'll get released.


3. Rusted Root: "When I Woke."

Just a fun CD from start to finish. The beginning drum track is killer on a good sound system.


4. Tom Waits: "Bone Machine"

"Bone" was my introduction to waits. My gf had this CD--her only Waits CD--when I met her. Now we're up to fifteen or sixteen. "Bone" remains my favorite. (Trivia: Rolling Stone Magazine declared Waits's "Swordfish Trombone" one the the ten most important albums of the 1980s.)


5. Dr. John: "Gris-gris"


6. Donovan: "Sutras"

This is an enchanting CD from the man who gave os the electrical banana. There's no weird banana stuff here, just good, calming music.


7. Joni Mitchell: "Court and Spark"

OK, probably many, many of you know this album. But it's a keeper, and should be in a wide-ranging collection.


8. Milla Jovovich: "The Divine Comedy"

Do you recognize the name? Jovovich has become famous the past few years for her acting ("Fifth Element," "Joan of Arc," "Resident Evil," and many more). But her first love is music, and she's made two CDs. She's also stunningly gorgeous (IMHO! LOL), and makes a ton of money as a supermodel. She's been quoted a few times saying that she lives for her music, and uses her income from acting and modeling to support her music. Until a few years ago she had a new band called Plastic Has Memory, and there was lots of talk about it making a CD. But that CD fell through, and she's bandless right now. One cool thing about "Divine Comedy": she made it when she was 18 years old.



BLUES

1. Jimi Hendrix: "Blues"

2. Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac: "jumping at shadows • the blues years"

This is early-early Fleetwood Mac, back when it was a blues band. I got the CD (it's a two-CD set) to have FM performing Green's hit, "Black Magic Woman."


3. How can you go wrong with blues from Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and Johnny Copland? In the CD "Showdown!" you get them all. I also recommend Cray's "Some Rainy Morning," and Collins's "Albert Collins Deluxe Edition."



WORLD MUSIC

1. Manu Dibango: "The Very Best of Manu Dibango/AfroSoulJazz"

We love Dibango. Even though this is a best-of CD, it's amazing. If you don't know this performer, I recommend it. Another CD of his we love is "Electric Africa." But we've yet to hear a Dibango CD we don't like.

2. Fela Kuti: "Yellow Fever"

3. Badi Assad: "Rhythms"

I've recommended Assad, a jazzy Brazilian guitarist-singer, to quite a few friends. They either love her or hate her. I love her. My gf falls in the other camp.



JAZZ

I'm a relatively new convert to jazz. It's only in the last ten years or so that I started liking it a lot. For me Chet Baker ("Deep in a Dream, the Ultimate Chet Baker Collection") and Bill Evans ("Sunday at the Village Vanguard") are relatively new finds. I now have six or seven Baker CDs and three or four Bill Evans trio CDs.

Lessor-knows:

1. Jeff Haas Trio (with Marvin Kahn): L'Dor Va Dor"

I love this CD. I had the pleasure of seeing this combo in person once, and it was stunning. Haas combines jazz licks with modalities used by traditional Jewish music for a one-of-a-kind blend. Great CD!!

2. Joe Sample: "The Pecan Tree"

Since discovering Sample and this CD, I bought one or two others of his.



CLASSICAL

1. Anna Netrebko (sporano): "Sempre Libre"

Netrebko has a fantastic voice, and is a fine musician to boot!


2. Carl Orff: "Carmina Burana"

OK, this is a well-known work. But I'm recommending one version: Eugene Ormundy with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Rutgers University Choir, with soloists Harsanyi, Pertak, and Presnell (Sony Essential Classics SBK 47668).


3. Stephen Hough (piano): "Cesar Franck Piano Music"

Hough is one of my favorite pianists, and I love Franck's music in general. What a combo on this CD.


4. Stephen Dankner: "Sonatas"

I like Dankner's music. There are two sonatas here. One is for piano, performed by Bridget Olavson. I find this performance just so-so. So why the CD recommendation? Because of the second sonata for violin and piano, with a little-known pianist named Logan Skelton. He's super!


5. Sergei Prokofiev: "Prokofiev Plays Prokofiev"

I don't find that composers are necessarily the best interpreters of their music, even assuming they can play it at world-class level. But though I've heard many pianists tackle Prokofiev's "Piano Concerto N. 3 in C Major," no one has done it better that Prokofiev, himself. Many, many excellent interpretations are on the shelves, but there's one I can't stand: John Browning's performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra. I found it plodding and insipid.


6. Puccini: "Tosca"

OK, this opera is well known, of course. But I'm mentioning it for one recording: Maria Calas and Giuseppe di Stefano (EMI Classics CDCB 7 47174-2). I have heard literally every top tenor 20th-century tenor sing this opera (Caruso, Gigli...and on up to today's), some on recordings, some live. No one, and I repeat no one, ever sung Cavaradossi's aria "E lucevan le stelle" better. Of course this is just my opinion, but I stand by it. At this point in the opera, the tenor has one night to live before his execution at the hands of an evil baritone. He takes pen to paper to write a farewell letter to his love, Tosca. But he looks at the night, sees the stars, and starts singing. The way di Stefano can drop his high notes to a pianissimo is awe-inspiring. The first time I heard this recording, this aria brought tears to my eyes and sent a shiver down my spine. Though I know every note and nuance now, it still never fails to effect me.


NOTE: Maybe I should say that I have a degree in music theory and composition, and for many years planned on a career in opera. Why I'm not in opera now is a long story that we don't need to get into now.



So that's my list of little-known CDs that I think should be listened to, at least, if not bought. Enjoy!

Chris

_______
Edit: I didn't change any CDs on my list; I just fixed a few punctuation typos.

 

[stratman]

Chris,

In the jazz format I highly recommend you get: Cal Tjader, any of his CDs are out of this world. I recommend Black Orchid, this is serious jazz.

 

[Rob Babcock]

CLASSICAL

1. Anna Netrebko (sporano): "Sempre Libre"

Netrebko has a fantastic voice, and is a fine musician to boot!

That's a wonderful album, btw. And you wanna talk about a babe- WOW! She's a serious fox, but an even better singer. What an amazing voice.

I think I'll check out Milla's CDs. I've heard a couple of her songs, and I agree she has a good voice.

 

[ChrisJam]

Chris,

In the jazz format I highly recommend you get: Cal Tjader, any of his CDs are out of this world. I recommend Black Orchid, this is serious jazz.

Thanks for the recommendations, Stratman. I'll try to find both of these.

Chris

 

[ChrisJam]

That's a wonderful album, btw. And you wanna talk about a babe- WOW! She's a serious fox, but an even better singer. What an amazing voice.

I agree totally on all points. She is drop-dead gorgeous!

I added my two cents in the best female voice thread. Before I found Netrebko, I thought Marilyn Horne had the world's best voice. Netrebko rivals Horne, and I can't get enough of her.

(BTW, my vote for best-ever voice goes to baritone Leonard Warren, who died on-stage at the Met in the 1960s.)

I think I'll check out Milla's CDs. I've heard a couple of her songs, and I agree she has a good voice.

Milla has two CDs out: "The Divine Comedy" and "The Peopletree Sessions." The two couldn't be further apart in style. As you know, I highly recommend "Divine Comedy," which can still be found in well-stocked music stores. "DC" was Milla's first CD. "Peopletree" is in a different ballpark, and is no longer sold in stores. You can find it on the web sometimes. I bought mine five or so years ago from a web site that I can't remember. I managed to find it new for a regular price. It's become so rare that it now often sells used at an inflated price. But I don't recommend that you get it. I listen to it every year or so, but Milla admits it was all a big joke--it was all an excuse for the musicians to get high and have fun. It has a lot of electronics. If she came out with a new CD, I'd buy it in a second, though. It'd be fun to see what course her music has taken now that she's in her thirties.

Milla's also done some tracks on miscellaneous CDs. One is the soundtrack for the bizarre movie, "Million-Dollar Hotel." She starred in that with Mel Gibson. She's done something else--a song on another soundtrack, I think--but I don't have it and I can't think of it.

Here's the official Milla web site. Though it's not controlled by her, she's visited it, has spoken with the webmaster, and approves of it. It's the place to go for the latest Milla news. In fact, I should visit it soon; haven't been there in quite a while.
http://www.millaj.com/

There's a running joke with my gf and my friends: They all know how much I like Milla, and they all joke that she's my second gf.

Of course, I think Milla is another drop-dead-gorgeous woman! <sigh> But I probably didn't need to state the obvious, did I? LOL

Chris

 

[kbleck]

Early Tori Amos

 

[Joe Schmoe]

A few I have been into lately, with emphasis on non-mainstream stuff you might not know about otherwise.
Pop/Rock:
Venus Hum, "The Colors in the Wheel"-interesting electronic/dance music, simply amazing vocals.
The Residents, anything you can find-redefines "weird".
Neutral Milk Hotel, "In an Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Joana Newsome. "YS"-great harp playing, the singing is an aquired taste, the lyrics are incredible.
New Age:
Nicolas Gunn, "Beyond Grand Canyon"
Robert Rich, "7 Veils"
World:
Nyaz, "Nyaz"-Persian electronica with ecstatic vocals, very exotic.
Kodo, "Mondo Head"-masters of Taiko drumming, very well recorded.
Jazz:
Sonny Rollins, "The 9/11 Concert"
Brian Bromberg, "wood II-especially the solo double-bass pieces.
Country/Bluegrass:
Jane Siberry, "Mariah"
Patti Griffin, "Impossible Dream"-if you can hear "Top of the World" without crying, you must be a robot.
The Duhks,"Migration"
Nickle Creek, "Why Let the Fire Die?"

 

[stratman]

Before I forget: KURT ELLING, THE MESSENGER not one bad track

 

[Hemlock]

Wow, I'm impressed.

I'll try to stick to the "probably don't" aspect, I noticed a lot of Dark Side, I believe that Dark Sides sales have now supassed the population of the globe meaning that everyone on the planet has purchsed it at least once (I think I've accounted for 3 Tape, CD, then iTunes). that said a few props. took 4 pages before *****es Brew appeared, although it was nice to see Wilco and Polly Jean Harvey early on. also I haven't heard the name Neds Atomic Dustbin for AGES...

NOT in order as someone mentioned, I don't want to make myself sleep on the couch tonight.
click to listen on amazon


The Go! Team- Thunder Lightning Strike
UK 70's/80's rock/hip hop just amazing, VERY hard to describe. (Power is on)

The Waterboys- The Best of the Waterboys 81-90
Scottish born London band via Ireland. Absolutely amazing, use this album to buy their entire catalog. (The Whole of the Moon)

K-Os- Joyful Rebellion Toronto Hip Hop artisits 2nd album is fantastic REAL hip hop, not bad poetry read over a ripped off Ohio Players loop like 90% of the crap on the radio, THIS is rap. Word. (Man I used to Be)

Sam Roberts- We Were Born in a Flame Montreal is HOT, Sam wrote and recorded this entire album without a band, amazing. Great use of space, not overly produced. (Brother Down)

Miles Davis- *****es Brew Seriously can't say enough about this album, in fact I tend to say WAAY too much. This album changed EVERYTHING, and not just Jazz. you REALLY have to be patient witht this one. also starting with disc two for a bit may help. most released you'll find say [extra tracks] actually it's track, Feio. I don;t think they shoud have added this track for one reason. This album says Directions in Music by Miles Davis. Miles did this because he was getting fed up with people claiming that Teo Carero (sp?) his producer was the real genious and wanted to let people know the HE was in charge, if he'd wanted this track on the album he would have put it on. Told you I say too much. (Miles Runs the VooDoo Down).

New Order- Substance The 1987 "hits" album from the remaining members of Joy Division. rather than replace Ian after his suicide, Bernard Sumner started singing (poorly). This is a true classic, the first several years of New Order the band relased singles instead of albums, including "Blue Monday" which due to packaging that made it look like a giant 5 1/4" diskette cost the band more to produce than the single sold for, losing them money on every copy. It sold like crazy. (The Perfect Kiss)

Bright Eyes- Digital Ash in a Digital Urn An Electronicesque album from Omaha singer songwriter Conor Obrest released simultaniously with the almost all Acoustic "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning". brilliant, mellow, uplisfting and saddening all at the same time. (Arc of Time (Time Code))

R.E.M. Out of Time The last great REM album. note it's a DVD+A. Reckoning was a close second for this list but the recording quality on that one is (purposely) murkey. This album is a True Classic. non stop amazing from start to finish. I miss Bill Berry. (Country Feedback)

Brian Jonestown Massacre- Bravery, Repitition, and Noise here's one from the mad genious catagory. A 60's style rock band led by an absolute genious Anton Newcomb, who is unfortunately a nutcase. With no money they managed to record their first four or five records, as Anton could get everything doen in the studio in 8 hours or so and take a day or two to mix it and viola! an album. BRAVERY... is just damn solid from one end to the next. Most of the bands albums are available for free form their website (I told you he was nuts) in FLAC format www.brianjonestownmassacre.com (Open Heart Surgery)

Miles Davis- Agharta and Pangaea Two DOUBLE albums recorded Live ont eh same day (June 7th [i think] 1975) Afternoon and Evening sets of an Osaka Japan Jazz festival these two albums are mind blowing, Pangaea consisting of two CD lenth tracks. unreal. this is beyond "fusion" this is Miles Getting a sound by using musicions that don;t know how to play what he wants them to play, amazing. The two guitarists, Reggie Lucas and Pete Cosey are worth the price of admision alone. Released a while after their recording there are the usual issues with CBS's treatment of Miles 70's catalog, for the most part they were just "realeasing" stuff rather than trying to create an album, but I think it actually works in this context as Miles didn't release any studio albums with this line up. (Prelude (Part I)).

Well I made it through ten I think, thats a lot of work!
great thread that was fun, I could have made 20 if I could stop tying stuff about them albums maybe this is better.

Hopefully someone tries one of these that they haven't heard before.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Nice post, Hemlock! It's the Thread That Will Not Die! I agree that Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is a great one; I'll have to check into some of your other recommendations.