Back to Entertainment

Favourite Albums

roadman
over 8 years

Post your favourite albums. Feel free to give an explanation if you fancy. This might not be completely accurate, but I'll list them as they come to mind.

I'll start.

1 - Michael Jackson - Off The Wall

This was the first album I ever owned... on cassette. When I was a wee lad, I used to have this album on repeat throughout the day - whether it was in the car, on my walkman, or on the boot-sale stereo I had in my bedroom, it would basically be on continuous repeat because I didn't have any other music. Michael Jackson is probably the most prevalent influence I've had on music throughout my lifespan thus far, and for that reason this has to be my #1.

2 - The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

For me, this has to be my favourite hip hop album of all time. Every single song on it, disregarding Splattitorium, is an absolute tune. I first picked this up in my early teens, but when I got my driving license at 17, I barely took it out of the CD player. I used to wind my ex girlfriends up whenever they were a captive audience in the passenger seat, being a typical British white guy singing along to every lyric. Labcabincalifornia was the album which projected my hip hop taste in the right direction, and brought my attention to the conscious aspect of the genre.

3 - Black Star - Black Star

I first got my turntables when I was 16 if I remember correctly, and currently my record collection is roughly around the 2,000 mark. Of all those 2,000 or so storage-clogging vinyl, this is probably the most significant one. As it happens, I'd never even been made aware that Talib Kweli and Mos Def worked on something together, and this album found me in the unlikeliest of ways. I got my decks off of eBay, and the seller attached his god-awful 90's trance collection to the listing. Amongst those, Black Star was lurking in the shadows. I fell in love with this album from the first listen, and still listen to it regularly to this day. Immaculate collaborative work from two of the most revered vanguards within hip hop.

4 - Bonobo - Black Sands

I first became familiar with Bonobo's music around 2001 because my friend had Animal Magic. By the time Dial 'M' for Monkey came out, I was completely taken by the atmosphere Bonobo's music created. Every time a new album came out, I became more and more drawn in by Bonobo's work. I think Black Sands took its stage at the plateau of my interests. I managed to grab it the day it was released, but I was really busy and never truly got round to listening to it until I was heading to Hong Kong on a plane. I had no desire to sleep on that plane trip because I was so into this album, particularly 1009 as there was something about that song with regard to the stage I was at in my life. That, and Andreya Triana is an absolute goddess in Stay The Same. Beautiful album.

5 - The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

I spent so long trying to figure out the drums to F*ck You (An Ode to No One), but I don't think I ever came close. Regardless, The Smashing Pumpkins were an absolute huge part of my teenage years, and even though I seldom listen to them anymore, I don't think I can ever really justify making a list of this nature without including what I felt was their best album.

Honorable mentions:

  • Amy Winehouse - Frank
  • Dr. Dre - 2001
  • J Dilla - Donuts
  • Madlib - Shades of Blue
  • James Brown - Sex Machine
  • Tool - Lateralus
  • Wu Tang Clan - The W
  • Nirvana - Nevermind
  • Pixies - Doolittle
  • MF DOOM - Madvillainy
  • Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
  • Craig David - Born To Do It
  • KMD - Black B*stards
  • Zero 7 - Simple Things
  • TM Juke - Maps From The Wilderness
  • The Cinematic Orchestra - Motion
  • A Tribe Called Quest - Beats, Rhymes and Life
  • Leftfield - Rhythm and Stealth
  • 2pac - Me Against The World
  • Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage
  • Weezer - Weezer
  • The Cardigans - Life

I'm sure I've probably missed some obvious ones, but oh well.

Favourite genre?
8
Rock
5
Nightcore
4
Hip Hop
4
Electronic
3
Punk
2
RnB
2
Jazz
2
Computer Game
1
Soul
0
Grunge
Gerry
over 8 years


1. Slim Shady LP - Eminem (Rap)

GOAT.
roadman
over 8 years
I just put Bros on.

12 minute track where the first sound is an owl hooting.

I'm sold.
roadman
over 8 years

Stragger says

Thank you for this thread. I can't list them 1-5 but I can definitely list my favorites.



1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Neo-psychedelia, Psychedelic Pop)

This record means a lot to me based on it's lyrical content and the context in which I listened to it. I was but a young something at 17 and I felt an aimless disposition in my life. This album feels like a comfort zone to me where I care less about my worries just listening to it. "Bros" is bar none one of my favorite songs. I'm not very good at describing why I like things but panda bear is so heartfelt and genuine on this album that it's really hard not to love it.

Favorite songs - "Bros", "I'm Not", "Take Pills", "Comfy In Nautica"



2. Bark Psychosis - Hex (Jazz-rock, Post-rock)

Another record that just..really means a lot to me. The Loom is so gorgeous and I remember it being a cold winter night when I picked this up. Really encapsulates that feeling really well. The vocalist has a dreary side to him that bodes well with the instrumentation, which is overall a bit somber and melancholy but overall still incredibly pleasant. The feeling hits harder if you're depressed and really pay attention to the lyrics. Need I mention this album is considered to be what even coined the phrase "Post-rock." Really great album, listen to it alone with the lights off.

Favorite songs - "Absent friend", "The Loom", "A Street Scene", "Pendulum Man"

(cont.)


Gonna give this a whirl.
Cody
over 8 years
Thomas J. Bergersen - Sun



This is an incredible album that comes from Two Steps From Hell's lead composer, Thomas J. Bergersen. The album is a step back to the type of "epic music" that spurred TSFH's original rise to popularity. Bergersen's grand soundscapes, recognizable and incredibly *driving* melodies, and creative approach when it comes to both inter and intra-song structure in the album coupled with incredible vocal performances from Merethe Soltvedt and others make this album an incredible one for listening to when you're spending about an hour and a half working on something. The individual tracks flow incredibly well into one another and tell a story of birth, struggle, survival, extinction, and renewal ultimately filled with hope.

One of the tracks in this album, "Final Frontier," was used in an Interstellar trailer and might be recognizable to a lot of you. "Creation of Earth" was used in a trailer for Tomorrowland, "New Life" was used in a trailer for Pan, and "Dragonland" and "Our Destiny" were both used in the Chinese historical action flim Dragon Blade.

One of my favorite tracks from this album is on my profile as a video coupled with a Disney cinematic. I think it's one of the best "epic music cinematics" that I've ever seen and if this review has got you interested in the album you should take a look at my profile video.
deletedover 8 years


3. Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You

I didn't even like this record on first listen, and it's instantly become one of my favorites. It's really hard to digest an album that starts off on a three-minute drone, is a double album. A lot of people consider this to be unwound's opus and it's really not hard to understand why. It's face-melting and crisis inducing. Really tough to not want to yell IT'S EVERY FOR HIMSELF BRING US THE HEAD OF THE KING or sing along to demons sing love songs. Trosper's voice is not exactly someone that of morrisey but the way he uses it with the guitar distortion and instrumentation gives me goosebumps. . great. great. great. great.

Sometimes you laugh so hard you cry.

Favorite tracks - Literally everything.



4. J Dilla - Donuts

Need I explain this one? James yancey. Collaborated with some of the biggest names in hip-hop in that decade. Made this album on his death bed. The usage of samples on this thing is like any other. Really bad at singing his praises but just listen to it yourself. Time: Donut of the heart is literally my ringtone.

Favorite tracks - "Waves", "Workinonit", "Stop" "Two Can Win", "Time: Donut of the Heart", "Lightworks", "Don't Cry"


(cont.)
deletedover 8 years
Thank you for this thread. I can't list them 1-5 but I can definitely list my favorites.



1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Neo-psychedelia, Psychedelic Pop)

This record means a lot to me based on it's lyrical content and the context in which I listened to it. I was but a young something at 17 and I felt an aimless disposition in my life. This album feels like a comfort zone to me where I care less about my worries just listening to it. "Bros" is bar none one of my favorite songs. I'm not very good at describing why I like things but panda bear is so heartfelt and genuine on this album that it's really hard not to love it.

Favorite songs - "Bros", "I'm Not", "Take Pills", "Comfy In Nautica"



2. Bark Psychosis - Hex (Jazz-rock, Post-rock)

Another record that just..really means a lot to me. The Loom is so gorgeous and I remember it being a cold winter night when I picked this up. Really encapsulates that feeling really well. The vocalist has a dreary side to him that bodes well with the instrumentation, which is overall a bit somber and melancholy but overall still incredibly pleasant. The feeling hits harder if you're depressed and really pay attention to the lyrics. Need I mention this album is considered to be what even coined the phrase "Post-rock." Really great album, listen to it alone with the lights off.

Favorite songs - "Absent friend", "The Loom", "A Street Scene", "Pendulum Man"

(cont.)
ice
over 8 years
jimsperm's back!
deletedover 8 years
i smoked a j w/ bonobo on new years