5 Favorite Albums of All Time and Why.

[OPBASSMAN1994]

1. 2112 by Rush.

It's a classic, it's a story of epic proportions. And it's possibly the most hard rockin' progressive piece of all time. And Rush is my favorite band. It's hard for me not to list this as my numero uno.




2. Close to the Edge by Yes.

Again, classic. ClassY too. Richly composed. Extremely lyrically complex. Vocal harmony is rich. Bass tone is crunchy, compressed, and cranks out like a sweet, sweet machine. And need I say more than Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White?



3. Caress of Steel by Rush.

Very close to both of the above. Rush's first foray into epic-ness, and I love Bastille Day, The Necromancer, Founatin, and even Lakeside Park grows on you.



4. Relayer by Yes.

Love it for many of the same reasons as Close to the Edge. This time it's inspired by Russian literature. (Since listening to this album, I have picked up a copy of War and Peace.....God help me.)


5. Selling England by the Pound by Genesis.

Eclectic, almost comical storytelling, epic in every way. And hey, some killer bass licks can be found on "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)". Dancing Out with the Moonlit Knight rocks.


Honorable Mentions:
Moving Pictures by Rush;
Calling All Stations by Genesis;
Heavy Weather by Weather Report;
Fragile by Yes;
Genesis by Genesis;
The Resistance by Muse;
Synchronicity by the Police;
Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers;
Earth Wind and Fire by Earth Wind and Fire
Tommy By the Who


I had to edit #5. Giving it another listen just captured me again.

[39-Bassist]

Good Vibrations (Pet Sounds) - Beach Boys
1st and most favorite band

Live and Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
Heard this and went WOW great dual guitarist

In Another Land - Larry Norman
First Christian Rock album I heard and LOVED it.

Boston - Boston
Vocalist that made me go "What a voice"

Fire Down Under - Riot
Most favorite Hard Rock band

I grew up with a diverse taste and glad I did.
Just my top 5.

[bearhart74]

My Aim Is True - Elvis Costello
Animals - Pink floyd
Live at the Filmore - Alman Brothers
Gratitude - EWF
Ramones - Leave Home

[bearhart74]

p.s isnt why obvious?

[SpitfireCWII]

#1 The Darkside of The Moon-Pink Floyd
Undoubtably one of the best albums in the history of rock, held the UK #1 album charts for 14 years.

#2 Animals-Pink Floyd
Ive always loved Animals.

#3 Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd
It has some of my favourite songs, and is based upon the departure of Syd Barret

#4 Meddle-Pink Floyd
This album has some amazing basslines to it, and the final song, "Echoes" is a work of its own.

#5 - Black Holes and Revelations-Muse
I just love what Muse stands for period, and this album really pumps me up before a good ol' game of Rugby

Yeah, I am a Pink Floyd fanatic, nothing wrong with that though

[Mound of Sound]

Exit Stage Left - Rush
This is my 'if you were stranded on an island an had only one album' album. This is why I love music. Majesty.

New Year's Eve 1995 at MSG - Phish
Absolute freaking energy.

Live After Death - Iron Maiden
Yes, I'm a live album junkie.

Animals - Pink Floyd
Sorry Spitfire, but this album beats DSOTM hands down.

What's the Story Morning Glory - Oasis
Pure Brit rock attitude.

The second top 5:

Ten - Pearl Jam
The only album by PJ I like. Flows exceptionally well

Vulgar Display of Power - Pantera
Every heavy metal band today wishes they could be like this album - the cover says it all

Disraeli Gears - Cream
Thick and Gritty

Abbey Road - Beatles
You shouldn't have to ask why.

Dirt - Alice in Chains
I'll never get sick of listening to 'Sickman'

[cableguy]

Led Zep I- The band as a whole just grabbed me. JPJ is awesome
ACDC Powerage- Just the raw power and groove of simplicity.
Aerosmith toys in the attic- Tom Hamilton plays great lines.
Van Halen I- Everybody else was talking about Eddie but I was hooked on the power of bass with the opening notes or note of Running with the devil.
Tesla-The great Radio Controversy- great songwriting, singer, dual gutarist and cool bass lines.

I jst love rock with a bluesy feel. I blame Led Zep for that

[GingerJuggler]

In no particular order

The Bends - Radiohead
This was one of the soundtracks to my teenage years. I think I wore out two cassettes before I fonally got it on CD. It still sounds as good now as it did fifteen years ago when it first came out.

Unplugged - Eric Clapton
This was the first album I got the music to and managed to play on guitar.

Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Some of my favourite Pink Floyd tracks.

The Ultimate Experience - Jimi Hendrix
Best of James Marshall Hendrix also probably the first CD I bought.

Four Seasons - Vivaldi - Nigel Kennedy
First album I ever bought (as a side note the second album was a Best of Black Sabbath. I always had eclectic tastes in music).

Honourable Mentions
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
(Whats the Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
Gold Against the Soul - Manic Street Preachers
Three Dollar Bill Y'all - Limp Bizkit
Sigh No More - Mumford and Sons
Entroducing - DJ Shadow
Shaving Peaches - Terrorvision

[oldbassplayergu]

kind of blue-miles davis,pat metheny group, dark side of the moon-pink floyd, blue trane-john coltrane, overnight sensation-frank zappa all of these are perfect from start to finish. I can name 50 more.

[onosson]

In no particular order:

Santana - Caravanserai
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus
Bruce Cockburn - Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws
Cannonball Adderley - The Capitol Years
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb

I'm sure if I did a top 5 tomorrow they would be different... but these are among the albums that I always keep loaded on my iPod or any music playing device.

EDIT: I guess I forgot the why!

Caravanserai - I just love this album and everything on it. I think Santana (as a band) hit a real high point here - really high creativity and strong playing from the entire band. As a bonus, this turned me on to the music of A.C. Jobim and Bossa Nova in general.

Exodus - classic, political, melodic reggae. It doesn't get any better I think.

Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws - beautiful, understated songwriting, guitar-playing, and singing. Religious without ever being preachy (so under-stated many people wouldn't even know that it's a very religious album - and I"m not a religious person).

The Capitol Years - fantastic soul-influenced jazz, with standout playing by Joe Zawinul and Nat Adderley.

Blowout Comb - I don't know why Digable Planets didn't become huge, this album is just amazing from start to finish.

[ksihawk7]

1. Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds- Jeff Wayne
I can't describe why I love this album so much. Just everything about it is amazing.

2. Delicate Sound of Thunder- Floyd
This is probably my favorite Floyd album, it's got Learning To Fly, On The Turning Away, and One Slip. My 3 favorite songs by them.

3. Wish You Were Here- Pink Floyd
This is just an all around great album

4. All Things Must Pass- George Harrison
This is just an amazing album by the greatest Beatle: George Harrison

5. Deceptive Bends- 10cc
An underrated band, 10cc with Feel The Benefit, which is also an underrated song by 10cc.

In that order

[MRDOOM]

In no particular order...


Toxicity-System of a Down
A perfect blending of metal, punk and politics. A truly creative and emotional expression of discontent in the modern world.

Absolution-Muse
A reflection of the times it was created in and an expression of universal human emotion, what all good art is.

Last Tour on Earth-Marilyn Manson
Articulate anger along with an awesome show.

Nevermind-Nirvana
Because it captured the feeling of being young.

Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium-Rage Against the Machine
Agressive and meaningful lyrics mixed with musical ingenuity that rocks your face off without being overdone or pretentious. Plus they put on a hell of a live show without the use of lasers, elaborate sets, or pyrotechnics(unless you count flag burning).

[Metalbasshippy]

1. The Who - Who's Next
Every song on that album is golden, they were definitely at their peak
2. AC/DC - High Voltage
AC/DC will always hold a special place in my heart as my first favorite band and their debut is by far their best
3. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
It was IMO the first true heavy metal album
4. KISS - Destroyer
Say what you want about them but I think they were one of the greatest rock n roll bands of all time
5. Rush - 2112
I love the 20 min. concept side as well as the other shorter songs, it's just a masterpiece
I have to do a 6th because I can't leave this one out:
Metallica - Master of Puppets
I loved this album when I was a kid and now that I've picked up the bass I REALLY love it. All my favorite 'tallica songs are off that album

[Metalbasshippy]

Originally Posted by Metalbasshippy

1. Who's Next - The Who
Every song on that album is golden, they were definitely at their peak
2. AC/DC - High Voltage
AC/DC will always hold a special place in my heart as my first favorite band and their debut is by far their best
3. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
It was IMO the first true heavy metal album
4. KISS - Destroyer
Say what you want about them but I think they were one of the greatest rock n roll bands of all time
5. Rush - 2112
I love the 20 min. concept side as well as the other shorter songs, it's just a masterpiece
I have to do a 6th because I can't leave this one out:
Metallica - Master of Puppets
I loved this album when I was a kid and now that I've picked up the bass I REALLY love it. All my favorite 'tallica songs are off that album

And I just remembered I have a 7th
Iron Maiden- Powerslave
It's so epic and besides Its got rime of the ancient mariner on it whats not to love?

[the byronic man]

Beatles - Abbey Road. favorite record from my favorite band. to me, it is perfect.

Rush - Hemispheres. the first Rush record i really got into, and the one i always go back to.

Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise. phenomenal album by a band at it's breaking point. one of the few albums that still reveals something new every time i listen to it.

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds. has filled me with wonder since i was a child. it can warm my heart, anytime.

Scott Walker - Scott 3. incredible voice. incredible control freak. incredible album.

[Exploiter8]

In no particular order and subject to change without notice:


The Moody Blues - This Is The Moody Blues

I had been a casual fan, but this album made me get the seven albums these songs came from. "Caught Live + Five" was released later. When they reformed with "Octave" I went twice for that tour, and about six or seven tours after that. SRV and Double Trouble even opened on one tour! John Lodge's playing has ALWAYS impressed me. He even used Alembic on one tour.


Sugar - Copper Blue

Just a balls-out rocker of an album by Bob Mould and friends.


Beatles - Abbey Road

My first cassette tape I bought for the new style of player I got as a gift to replace my 8-track. The album still "hits me" when listening through headphones.


Aly & AJ - Acoustic Hearts Of Winter

Yes, I know, Disney blah, blah blah. They were the bridge between my young son and I, musically. I referred to them as his generation's version of Heart. How refreshing to hear Christmas tunes done in a rocking, yet somehow also traditional way by these talented girls! Their song, "Not This Year," written about trying to celebrate the holidays without their Grandmother really hits home. I lost my mother a couple of Novembers ago and can relate.


John Entwistle - Whistle Rymes

Again, I was just a casual fan of The Who. A friend of mine had watched me transition from Drums to Bass and lent me the album to record. That was the beginning of my journey to becoming a Bass Guitarist. John purposely left the "H" out of "Rymes" in the title because many people would add an "H" to his last name. After I saw John and his Alembic in "The Kids Are Alright," I had to have one. Now I have two!


I've already thought of others while typing this!

X8

[JoZac21]

1) Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

2) Quadrophenia - The Who

3) Live at the Fillmore East "It's About that Time" - Miles Davis

4) Talking Book - Stevie Wonder

5) Rain Dogs - Tom Waits

A simple explanation as to why these are my favorite albums, is that typically when I listen to music, I like to learn something... every time I listen to one of these records, I grow as a musician, and as a listener. Word.

[bassteve]

1. Pinkerton - Weezer
Captures the emotion of both a tough time and a deep love of Rivers Cuomo.
2. Nevermind - Nirvana
I'm just a Nirvanaphile.
3. The White Stripes - The White Stripes
It's rough-sounding and you can hear the influence of Jack White growing up in Detroit where his favorite music isn't appreciated at all.
4. Modern Guilt - Beck
Digital, bass-y, and abstract. I view this more as audio art than music.
5. Return of the Rentals - The Rentals
It sounds happy throughout the album; sometimes in an upbeat manner and sometimes in a slower, more subtly calm way, but almost always with a crunchy, fuzzy (but still clear) bassline lying underneath.

[OPBASSMAN1994]

Forgot to mention the White album (the beatles) as it captures the Beatles most creative writing in my opinion. And Hemispheres by Rush. Dionysus vs. Apollo in a Sci-Fi Greek epic. What else can you ask for?

[Stick_Player]

"Of All Time"?

So far not a deep reach back in time.

Kinda Blue (1959) is as far back as "Of All Time" goes? Great record (LP), though.