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Which albums to you go back to most often?

Del monaco

Del Monaco
In the recent music review thread one post referred to a crate of music he went back to regularly.
I have albums that I revisit regularly.

These include:

Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 - Previn- Unbridled romanticism with peerless conducting and the LPO on their toes,
Barber Violin Concerto- Stern/ Bernstein- There is a magical human quality to this performance, Bernstein matching Stern in a performance of the music in its sincerest form.
Late Beethoven String Quartet-Italian Qt.- What can you really say about these classic rosin soaked performances
Verdi Otello- Toscanini- Beautifully performed, especially by Nelli but most loved for its dark, sinewy and articulate conducting by arguably the greatest maestro of them all.
Chopin Nocturnes- Claudio Arrau- I love these pieces and I frequently return to the performance of the elderly Arrau. Something about them.

Honorary mention for David Sylvian’s Secrets of the beehive and Nick Caves whole discography.


What are your top 5? And why?
 
Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark - because it was the first album I bought and I still hear new things, also the music, performance and lyrics are beautiful and the production is outstanding
Gentle Giant: In a Glass House - the complex music, the dynamic range, the "interesting" recording techniques, the brilliant drumming; the pinnacle of plainsong/metal cross-over
Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire - highly complex, polyrhythmic opening track that so few systems can unfold
Toumani Diabate: Kaira - beautiful musicianship, beautiful music; I still wonder how this can be one person playing one instrument with no overdubs
Santana: Borboletta - lets ignore some of the lyrics but that guitar sustain, the Latin percussion and "Promise of a Fisherman"

I have others...
 
Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark - because it was the first album I bought and I still hear new things, also the music, performance and lyrics are beautiful and the production is outstanding
Gentle Giant: In a Glass House - the complex music, the dynamic range, the "interesting" recording techniques, the brilliant drumming; the pinnacle of plainsong/metal cross-over
Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire - highly complex, polyrhythmic opening track that so few systems can unfold
Toumani Diabate: Kaira - beautiful musicianship, beautiful music; I still wonder how this can be one person playing one instrument with no overdubs
Santana: Borboletta - lets ignore some of the lyrics but that guitar sustain, the Latin percussion and "Promise of a Fisherman"

I have others...
I play Mitchell’s Blue and Mingus albums fairly often. Gentle Giant look interesting.
 
Joni - Hejira
Bill Frisell - Gone, Just Like a Train
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Remember Shakti - The Believer
Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis

They're my principals....if you don't like them, I have others
 
Michael Jackson - ‘Thriller’
I have had the album from release and it has production qualities that I like. Reliable.

Kate Bush - ‘The Dreaming’
Again, had it from release and I never tire of it. It is a bonkers album lyrically and musically.

Kraftwerk - ‘Computer World’
Another old album that I got at the time. Never lets me down. Granddaughter loves it. Spawned several genres of music. Big in every sense.

I’ll come back to this.
 
Joni - Hejira
Bill Frisell - Gone, Just Like a Train
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Remember Shakti - The Believer
Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis

They're my principals....if you don't like them, I have others
That lovely Amelia track.Forgot about Hejira. The Mark Hollis is one on its own, made particularly poignant as he died so young. An album I did listen to but an album that takes me into an area I’d like to avoid really.
 
Michael Jackson - ‘Thriller’
I have had the album from release and it has production qualities that I like. Reliable.

Kate Bush - ‘The Dreaming’
Again, had it from release and I never tire of it. It is a bonkers album lyrically and musically.

Kraftwerk - ‘Computer World’
Another old album that I got at the time. Never lets me down. Granddaughter loves it. Spawned several genres of music. Big in every sense.

I’ll come back to this.
The Dreaming opening track certainly wakes you up.She is a real enigma.Wish I’d seen her live and hope she brings out something wonderful in the near future.
 
I could never pick five favourite titles from my favourite artists so .......
Anything by Bowie either pre or post eighties.
Anything by Massive Attack pre 100th Window
Anything by Pink Floyd/Roger Waters.
Early Van Morrison, Astral Weeks, St.Dominick's Preview, etc
Joy Division, Closer & Unknown Pleasures
 
Five? Far too restrictive.

25 would be more like it.

The list would include works such as:
- Handel, Messiah
- Sibelius, Kullervo and Karelia
- Pergolesi, Stabat Mater
- Tchaikovsky, Sumphonies 4, 5 and 6
- Brahms, Symphony 4
- Beethoven, Symphonies 5, 6, 7 and 9

Judging by my Roon stats, it would also include albums by:
- Christine and the Queens
- The Strawbs
- Kaleida
- Hundreds
- Marina (and the Diamonds)
- Faun
- Ols
- Myrkur
- Eliwagar/Runahild
- Veden Kolod
- Ayla Nereo
- Omnia
- Sia
- Taylor Swift
- Nebelhexe (aka Andrea Haugen)
- L.E.A.F. (aka Kati Ran)
- Ms Mr
- The Gyuto Monks of Tibet
 
Five? Far too restrictive.

25 would be more like it.

The list would include works such as:
- Handel, Messiah
- Sibelius, Kullervo and Karelia
- Pergolesi, Stabat Mater
- Tchaikovsky, Sumphonies 4, 5 and 6
- Brahms, Symphony 4
- Beethoven, Symphonies 5, 6, 7 and 9

Judging by my Roon stats, it would also include albums by:
- Christine and the Queens
- The Strawbs
- Kaleida
- Hundreds
- Marina (and the Diamonds)
- Faun
- Ols
- Myrkur
- Eliwagar/Runahild
- Veden Kolod
- Ayla Nereo
- Omnia
- Sia
- Taylor Swift
- Nebelhexe (aka Andrea Haugen)
- L.E.A.F. (aka Kati Ran)
- Ms Mr
- The Gyuto Monks of Tibet
Kullervo, grim but genius work by a young man! Great list.
 
I have been loading CDs onto a Zen Mini of late, remarkable how many albums I have that I can barely recall buying or listening to. A bit of an eye opener.

Top 5 is tough but:

Miles Davis - KoB
Louis Armstrong - Hot 5s & Sevens
Louis & Ella - duet albums
Tom Waits - Alice
REM - Murmur

A lot of Steely Dan gets repeat plays.
 
I have been loading CDs onto a Zen Mini of late, remarkable how many albums I have that I can barely recall buying or listening to. A bit of an eye opener.

Top 5 is tough but:

Miles Davis - KoB
Louis Armstrong - Hot 5s & Sevens
Louis & Ella - duet albums
Tom Waits - Alice
REM - Murmur

A lot of Steely Dan gets repeat plays.
I have a real fondness for Porgy and Bess.
 
Oh dear; I'll have to have a session this arvo/evening and browse through. Play very little classical nowadays as it's on Classic FM/R3 in the car, the loo and kitchen. Seriously thinking of whittling down my collection.

One favourite which should be worn out but ain't, is his Bobship's last acoustic album, Nashville Skyline; great tracks and great s.q. I do occasionally frighten the spiders away with early Led Zepp's 'Your Time is Gonna Come' or 'Whole Lotta Love'. My tastes are too catholic to narrow down but I'm usually swayed by the pressing/recording quality. Luckily, most are good.
 
5 off the top of my head but it could easily be a different selection. These are all seminal/ foundation albums for me but the list should also include Little Feat, Steely Dan, (some) Grateful Dead, Lots of Reggae and way more Jazz etc
Beatles - Revolver
Miles Davis - Jack Johnson
Love - Forever Changes
Joy Division - Closer
Jeff Beck - Truth
 
In no particular order

Joni Mitchell-Blue
Beatles-Abbey Road
Joan Baez-Diamonds and Rust
Tears For Fears-Songs From the Big Chair
Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms/Love Over Gold
Steve Earle-Copperhead Road
Marvin Gaye-Let’s Get It On
Christopher Cross-Christopher Cross
Chris Isaak-Wicked Game
REM-Automatic For The People
Chris Rea-Road To Hell
The Chi-Lites-Give More Power To The People/Lonely Man
Muse-The Resistance/The 2nd Law
The Prodigy-Fat Of The Land
ELO-Eldorado/Out Of The Blue/Discovery/Time
Chris De Burgh-Flying Colours
The Blue Nile-A Walk Across The Rooftops/Hats
Elton John-Captain Fantastic/Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Honky Chateau/Blue Moves/Caribou
Fleetwood Mac-Rumours/Tusk/Tango In The Night/Mirage
Stevie Nicks-Bella Donna/The Wild Heart/Rock A Little
 
Roy Harper - Flat Baroque and Berserk started following Harper in tiny venues in Manchester in the 60s. This album was played to death at the time.
Incredible String Band - The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. Favourites whilst at school. Still love their idiosyncratic song structures.
Leonard Cohen - Recent Songs. Of all his albums this one has the best songs on it I think.
Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed. Still rocks after 50 years.
Steve Forbert - Alive on Arrival. A terrific songsmith, undervalued.
 
Very often i go back in Time;

Moody Blues-Question of Balance
Randy Vanwarmer -Terraform
Van Morrison - Enlightenment
Melody Gardot - Worrisome Heart
Danny Vera - Pressure makes Diamonds (not so Old)
 


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