Your Top Three Albums

[wolfgang]

So yeah, I'm sure the N community has brilliant taste and these threads are always fun. Post away, but try and give a small blurb or reason for you valuing it so highly, discuss other people's choices, otherwise the thread devolves into an enormous list.




Electric Ladyland

I wasn't sure which Hendrix album to top the list, because I first experienced his greatest hits record and my itunes playlist was a bunch of songs ripped from all over the place, so it is hard to think of his albums individually. I ended up settling on this because of the unbeatable ending combo of All Along the Watchtower and Voodoo Child, the best cover song followed by the greatest guitar riff ever conceived.
It does have a couple of faults, in particular Voodoo Chile rips the early pacing to shreds and some of the softer songs are a little weak. But overall still a masterpiece.




Madvillainy by Madvillain

The MF Doom and Madlib duo delivers the pinnacle of quirky, intelligent hip hop. Doom's slightly slurred flow couples so well with Madlib's softer beats and sample heavy production. It's rare that an album can be so sonically explorative and eclectic but still have such a strong sense of stylistic unity.



Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio

Just an excellent band, I love their sound. Densely produced with an emphasis on distorted guitars and eccentric beats, very original in their arrangements and the chant-esque vocal style tops it all off. Wolf Like Me is one of the most instantly catchy tracks to will ever hear. I can honestly say there isn't a weak track on the entire album, and I'm glad that these guys are growing in popularity, I can't conceive of a better major label debut.

[KinGAleX]

Yes - Relayer

My favourite album of all time. My favourite band of all time. Three absolutely brilliant tracks. One epic with more complexity and passion than any other I know. Two half-epics with amazing musicianship and sincere beauty.

Neal Morse - One

Although I'm not a fan of Mr Morse's ideologies, this album is musically one of the most fantastic I've ever heard. The story is stupid and frustrating, but the wonderful prog so uplifting and amazing that I can actually stand lyrics about Jesus.

Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline

Best ambient music ever. I listen to this when I go to sleep, when I wake up, when I drive, when I smoke, when I drink, when I make love, when I do anything, it's that good. Get it.

[T3chno]

The following three are what actually got me interested in music.

Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
-My first album ever. Great album, still listen to it everyday. Awesome vocals and John Frusciante's music is what inspired me to even get a guitar.

Sam's Town - The Killers
-When I started branching out from RHCP tastes, I found these guys. I have all three of their albums (their fourth due in late November) but this is their star, although some argue Hot Fuss is. Brandon Flowers is a fantastic vocalist and the tunes of each song are great.

A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay

-Do I even need a reason?

Yeah, pretty mainstream, but whatever. I like it.

[TribulatioN]

Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Blackbird - Alter Bridge
Liberation Transmission - Lostprophets

Coldplay's Viva La Vida is my current favourite, hands down.
Alter Bridge's and Lostprophet's two albums are really what got me interested in rock/alternative and showed me how it really matches my personality more than I thought.

[Vyacheslav]

Blackwater Park - Opeth
The Land of Rape and Honey - Ministry
Tomb of the Mutilated - Cannibal Corpse

[Ravenclaw]

Elephant by The White Stripes


Classical Mushroom by Infected Mushroom


Toxicity by System of a Down

[wolfgang]

The following three are what actually got me interested in music.

Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
-My first album ever. Great album, still listen to it everyday. Awesome vocals and John Frusciante's music is what inspired me to even get a guitar.

Californication is a great album, my second favourite RHCP album after Blood Sugar Sex Magic.

Blackwater Park - Opeth
The Land of Rape and Honey - Ministry
Tomb of the Mutilated - Cannibal Corpse

I have to get into Opeth, they certainly get alot of love.

[xeronix]

Epica : The Phantom Agony
Great album, Mix of metal with a classical feel, one of those you will like from listening from one track (for me at least)

Within Temptaion : Destroyed
Pretty much a compilation of their "hit" songs, live tracks & just phenomenal! Again, metal with a symphonic influence.
My favorite album for the time being.

Nightwish : Dark Passion Play
There newest album, new lead singer. SOUNDS AMAZING! Sad to see the former lead female vocalist go, but
the transition is nearly seamless. Great stuff. If you havent heard of them, please look them up as well.

[PALEMOON]

Mezzanine by Massive Attack

-Just, wow. Introduced me to triphop in general.

3030 by Deltron

-much like what wolfgang said about Madvilliany (one of my favorites also, it's awesome, but not the top 3) intelligent, awesome hip hop. also robots.


Yanqui U.X.O by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

- a total trip to listen to all the way through with a nice pair of headphones and a quiet place.

[a happy song]

mew - and the glass handed kites
Possibly my favourite collection of music ever. A mixture of dark and forboding tension with spells of shinning and unique melodies. The structure is obscure and progressive while retaining a pop sensibility often lost to pretentiousness in similar types. Lyrically, the album is ambiguous, abstract and full of baffling and beautiful metaphores and analogies. Sublime.

Favourite tracks - 'Special', 'The Zookeeper's Boy', 'An Envoy To The Open Fields'.
-



glassJAw - everything you ever wanted to know about silence
This might be the most brilliantly cathartic break-up album of all time. Schizophrenic vocals swoop, chatter and scream above a sea of crashing guitars and disjointed rhythms. Elements push and pull against each other creating a constant strain of tension that eleviates itself with some of the coolest and satisfying sing-along moments I've experienced. From the frenzied fury of Pretty Lush to the aching goodbye of the hidden final, this album is a masterful lesson in originality and transposition of emotion.

Favourite Tracks - 'Pretty Lush', 'Siberian Kiss', Her Middle Name Was Boom'.
-



I can't make a desision on the rest, it's probably impossible. Each time I decide and begin writing about one of the albums below, a reason to choose another pounds and beats on my stomach walls in a jealous fury reminding me how we fell in love and how I couldn't possibly betray that without betraying myself. Bastards. I'll just have to list the remainder.

bloc party - silent alarm
Favourite Tracks - 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Positive Tension'.

bright eyes - lifted or the story is in the soil keep your ear to the ground
Favourite Tacks - 'Make War', 'Method Acting', 'Bowl Of Oranges'.

deftones - white pony
Favourite Tracks - 'Street Carp', 'Korea', 'Knife Party'.

atd-i - relationship of command
Favourite Tracks - 'Pattern Against User ', 'Rolodex Propaganda', 'Invalid Litter Dept.'.

[krusch]

Nice picks, wolfgang. Madvillainy is a great favourite of mine too. And PALEMOON! Deltron 3030! You're about the first person in about eight years I've ran into who listens to them. Also an amazing album.

I'd take ...

Joanna Newsom - Ys

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - f♯a♯∞

Ulver - Perdition City

... for various reasons.

[autosurfer]

I don't have 3 favourite albums but the one that I listening a lot are:

1.- Pulp - Countdown (good and again good)

2.- David Bowie - The rise and fall of ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars. ( long name and a classic one)

3.- Arcade Fire - Funeral ( just lovely)

[Mr__X]

There is no way I can narrow it down to only three, so here's ten albums.

Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Funeral - Arcade Fire
He Poos Clouds - Final Fantasy
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral MIlk Hotel
In Rainbows - Radiohead
Agaetis Byrjun - Sigur Rós
Hurtbreak Wonderland - World's End Girlfriend
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone - Explosions in the Sky
Under the Pipal Tree - Mono
The Hawk is Howling - Mogwai

[wolfgang]

Mezzanine by Massive Attack

-Just, wow. Introduced me to triphop in general.

3030 by Deltron

-much like what wolfgang said about Madvilliany (one of my favorites also, it's awesome, but not the top 3) intelligent, awesome hip hop. also robots.


Yanqui U.X.O by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

- a total trip to listen to all the way through with a nice pair of headphones and a quiet place.

I could never really get much into Triphop even though on paper it sounds perfect for me, I'm not sure but I think it just lacks the 'warm' feeling I get from more traditional funk and soul influenced hip hop. I do like Teardrop though.

And props, Del is awsome. Haven't got this album but I love 'I Wish My Brother George was Here' under the funky homosapien moniker.

[handofgod]

i dont have a top three albums. but the ones Ive listened to the most recently are:

lost in the sound of separation - underoath

lateralus - tool

S&M - Metallica

@ 87654321, Opeth is good, Im more of a watershed person though.

@ tribulatioN, Viva La Vida is amazing!

[Thomas]

Not in order:

"Master of Puppets" by Metallica - the album that got me into thrash metal, and a metal classic even by the highest standards.

"Revolver" by The Beatles - their best album, in my opinion, and that's saying a lot. I mean, backwards guitar solos? Monotonous looping drum parts? Trippy lyrics? Awesome sauce.

"Abbey Road" by The Beatles - It's not really the songs themselves, but the overall experience that makes this such a great album. The end (as in, the end of the album, but the song is great) is amazing.

[PALEMOON]

I could never really get much into Triphop even though on paper it sounds perfect for me, I'm not sure but I think it just lacks the 'warm' feeling I get from more traditional funk and soul influenced hip hop. I do like Teardrop though.

And props, Del is awsome. Haven't got this album but I love 'I Wish My Brother George was Here' under the funky homosapien moniker.

yeah... most of the massive attack-esque triphop has this kind of cold detached feeling about it that i find really interesting.

[T3chno]

bloc party - silent alarm
Favourite Tracks - 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Positive Tension'.

Brilliant album. My faves on there are the ones you said + Banquet and Blue Light.

[BNW]

Right now it would have to be.

-Fortress - Protest the Hero
-Viva la Vida - Coldplay
-Absolution - Muse

I'm sorta torn between Absolution and Black holes and Revelations. They are both amazing.

I have a ton of other albums that I love, but those are probably my favorites at the moment.

[Cerberus]

Leviathan - Mastodon
...And Justice For All - Metallica
Origin of Symmetry - Muse

[Topo]

I can't really choose a second or third... maybe "The Moon and Antartica" by Modest Mouse, but my favorite is definitely "Ultra Beatdown," Dragonforce's newest album. It can only be described as awesome. =]

[OneSevenNine]

3: Nellie McKay, "Get away from me." <--- I can't explain her. Nobody can.
2: LCD Soundsystem, "Sound of Silver" <--- Electronica kind of things, but really beautiful music, no rave styles or anything...
1: Fatboy Slim, "The greatest hits: Why try harder" <--- A Greatest hits album counts, right?

[Condog]

I don't buy many albums. Individual songs of iTunes works for me. However, I believe these are three exceptional albums.

[wolfgang]

Demon Days really is a great album, I only just downloaded it recently when I found out it was produced by Dangermouse whom I can't get enough of after The Grey Album. I'd call Gorillaz one of the most creative acts in modern pop music, they effortlessly blend electro, pop, hip hop. Every Planet we Reach is Dead is probably my favourite track, that syrupy organ line is mesmerising.

[乳头的早餐谷物]

Hard to choose and even harder to write about.


OK Computer by Radiohead

I wouldn't change a thing about this album. The whole thing fits together perfectly, it's full of subtleties and emotion—I've heard it called difficult or cold but I never found that to be the case. It's wonderous.


Origin of Symmetry by Muse

I wouldn't claim they fit together perfectly, but I love every song on this album too. Apparently it's over-the-top but that hardly concerns me. Great riffs and more importantly great rock songs.


Parklife by Blur.

Perhaps not really a top three album but I had to pick something, and Parklife is certainly somewhere near the top of my list. Consistently great tunes with lots of variety.