"Perfect" Albums

[Rusty B]

In another thread I made the statement that Fleetwood Mac - Rumors is a perfect album. What Lp's can you think of that you feel are "perfect"? In that, I mean every song is a winner and one that gets frequent time on your turntable.
I look forward to seeing your responses and possibly adding new (to me) music to my small but growing collection.
Cheers.

[Veggie Boy]

Who's Next comes to mind as does either of Led Zeppelin I or IV.

Perfect Sides is a whole other thread.

[newdreams]

That's a hard one, in that there are so many, and it is very objective. However, here's thirty or so that always bring me joy and I wouldn't change a note on from my rock/folk world to start.

Disraeli Gears & Wheels of Fire
Are You Experienced
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Sgt Pepper, Rubber Soul
Their Satanic Majesties Request
High Tide and Green Grass
Abraxas
Sunshine Superman
Saucerful of Secrets, Meddle, Wish You Were Here
Oranges and Lemons
Liege and Lief
S.F. Sorrow
Odessey and Oracle
Grave New World
Close to the Edge
Selling England by the Pound
Bundles (Soft Machine)
Bryter Later (or any Nick Drake)
Strange Days
Surrealistic Pillow, Crown of Creation
Electric Music for ther Mind and Body (Country Joe and the Fish)
The Grateful Dead (first album)
Fifth Dimension (The Byrds)
Psonic Psunspot & 25 O'clock (Dukes of Stratosphear)
Chicago Transit Authority
Allman Brothers Live at the Filllmore East
Blue, Miles of Aisles, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (Joni Mitchell)
and finally one most of you will never have heard of, but is well worth picking up on vinyl if you can find it: Viva Tirado by 70s Latin Soul band El Chicano. (Think Santana with Wes Mongomery style guitar.)

El Chicano doing Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsxFVCws760 Enjoy.

Have to agree on Who's Next and the Zeps. I know I'll think of another hundred in a few minutes. It's interesting to me how many come from the late 60s and the 70s, but that's also the era of maximum emotional resonance for me.

[davidsss]

As a big Stones fan I'd have to mention that one of their biggest claims to fame is 4 albums in a row with no dud tracks: Beggars' Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. There's not a track on these 4 albums I don't like and each album fits together well. Amazing.

But I also like other bands, so here's some more:

Deep Purple: Machinehead. Some tracks are better than others but they are all good.
Muddy Waters: Folk Singer. Muddy and a guitar, sublime and not a dud track on it.
Nick Drake: Five Leaves Left. Great album and fits together well. Took me a few listens but just fabulous.
Cat Stevens: he has 3 standout albums which have no weak tracks: Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat.
Fred McDowell: I do not play no Rock and Roll. Maybe not Fred but you come damned close and there is some fantastic blues there. A great listen all through.
Beethoven's 7th symphony: not a dud movement!
Morrison Hotel by The Doors.
The Joshua Tree by U2. You can hear the hunger in the band. I still like U2 but they are not as hungry any more. That's the price of success I suppose.

Some albums are not perfect per se but their imperfection is part of the appeal. As an illustration of someone with mountains of talent going down the drain Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs is an experience with some parts which are sublime. Where it is imperfect this album gives insights into what is happening, almost better than perfection.

DS

[MonkeyBoy]

Chronic Town by REM
Tommy and Quadrophenia by The Who
Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell
Water Falls by Sara K
Between the Lines by Janis Ian
Beatles for Sale, A Hard Days Night, Help, Revolver, Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles
Eat a Peach by The Allman Brothers Band
Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
Nursery Crymes and Foxtrot by Genesis

That's all I can think of right now. I'm staying at my Mother's place since she needs someone close by who can help her after her accident. Unfortunately perfect albums are still all too rare. Newdream, could you rewrite that list with the recording artists? Some I know, but some I'm unfamiliar with. All in all , I pretty much agree with the ones you guys have come up with. A lot of what is lister here has stood the test of time and still gets listened to after years of hearing them. No better praise can be given, I suppose.

[majerjack]

Good examples from all. Here are a few of mine:

The Beatles---Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
I admit to a bias where the Beatles are concerned. They are my favorite group of all time. Theirs were the first records I purchased and the ones to which I have listened the most. With certain minor exceptions, I believe that they could do no musical wrong. All their albums for me are perfect in that I enjoy all the tracks on them (I admit that I enjoy some tracks more than others). Sgt. Pepper is the Best of the Best. It has strong songwriting (always the Beatles' greatest strength), great playing and singing (the Beatles were at their peak at this time), amazing musical variety, and inspired production by George Martin. Of all perfect albums, this one is the most perfect.

The Who---Who's Next.
I like the Who almost as much as I like the Beatles. All four of the original group were distinctive stylists (Roger Daltrey as a vocalist, Pete Townshend as a guitarist, John Entwistle as a bassist, and Keith Moon as a drummer). Their individual styles blended into a sound like no other, and this sound propelled all their records to greatness. Pete Townshend is one of the greatest songwriters ever. He has a good ear for melody, his songs have interesting harmonic modulations, and his lyrics are meaningful and well-suited to the music. Both Townshend's songwriting and the group's musical prowess were at their peak at the time Who's Next was produced, and this resulted in their best record. This is how loud rock should be done. Turn it up.

Simon and Garfunkel---Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Paul Simon (another great songwriter) turned away from the navel gazing that had plagued his earlier songwriting and produced a collection of tunes that outshines anything he did before or after. Beautiful melodies, heartbreaking lyrics, great singing from Art Garfunkel. Simon's two greatest songs, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "The Boxer" are on this record.

Cat Stevens---Tea for the Tillerman.
This record has a sound that is unique in my experience. Quiet, contemplative, tuneful, innovative in its style. Cat Stevens had recovered from a bout with tuberculosis not long before this record was produced, and I believe this experience strongly influenced his songwriting. Good recorded sound, with an interesting use of compression on some instruments.

Bob Dylan---Blood on the Tracks.
Dylan's best, in my opinion. His lyrics here are less opaque than on some of his earlier records, his melodies are more tuneful, and his singing is less strident and more heartfelt and expressive. It seems to me that on this record, and to a similar degree on the earlier "New Morning", Dylan achieved a new and different style of songwiting and performing that lifted him as an artist to an even higher level than the one he had achieved before. You get the impression that Dylan is talking directly to you instead of talking at you. Great songs, good sound.

I can think of more examples, but for now I'll stop with these.

[scrutney]

great lists and i don't disagree with anything posted. (although i'm surprised that abbey road didn't get mentioned)

and majerjack, i'd agree with "bridge over troubled water" if i wasn't so burned out on it. when the album was released, radio stations in the washington d.c. area played every song to death for about a year and a half and i've never recovered from the sonic assault.

my suggestions in no particular order:

jethro tull ~ aqualung.
bob dylan ~ highway 61.
dave mason ~ alone together.
bruce springsteen ~ the wild, the innocent and the e street shuffle.
bruce springsteen ~ born to run.
supertramp ~ crime of the century.
david crosby ~ if only i could remember my name.
paul kantner/grace slick/jefferson starsip ~ blow against the empire.
the who ~ sell out.
xtc ~ english settlement.
elvis costello ~ my aim is true.
neil young and crazy horse ~ everybody knows this is nowhere.
neil young ~ after the gold rush.
rod stewart ~ every picture tells a story.

and i'm going to cheat on the last one and offer up a compilation:

nuggets ~ various artists.

and i'm sure that i'll think of 20 more as soon as i hit submit.

[majerjack]

Here's one that recently came to mind. It's a great record that never got the attention it deserved:

The Move---Shazam.
Roy Wood and the boys produced what is probably the best record of their career (I equally enjoy Split Ends, a disc jam-packed with some of the best Wood and Jeff Lynne songs, but that one is a record-company compilation which was not the original intent of the band). On Shazam the Move play and sing music of great variety, from rock to heavy metal to folk and to classical, and do it all with the special style that was unique to them. Tongue-in-cheek lyrics are presented side by side with those of poinancy, longing, and regret. Production by Roy Wood. The recorded sound is immediate and vivid, the best of all their records. Try it. You'll like it.

[mysticfred]

Never liked Rumors much at all, The Chain is ok but i found the whole thing very bland, my idea of "perfect albums" are few, but Machine Head and Nursery Cryme would definately qualify, Led Zeppelin 1 would be the hottest contender - all albums in the true sense of the word, all the tracks flow seamlessly, great recording quality, stunning tracks no fillers, all show the band at their best, and sound just as relevant today, true classics!

[MonkeyBoy]

Scrutney, the reason I didn't list Abbey Road is because I can't stand Maxwell's Silver Hammer. Other than that it's a great album.

[jake]

I'm playng the hell out of KINK KRONIKLES, a double album that rocks the whole way, sounds new today, and God Save The Village Green must have been some kind of prophecy. If you had this and THE GREAT LOST KINKS ALBUM you would have a perfect Kinks collection.

[HibouProfane]

I think Astral Week by Van Morrison deserves to be on this list.

[yarvelling]

Scrutney, the reason I didn't list Abbey Road is because I can't stand Maxwell's Silver Hammer. Other than that it's a great album.

OK, I'll nominate it then...I have no objection to Maxwell and his Silver Hammer, and teh rest of the album is just superb.... plus two of George's finest ever songs... ahhh! perfect!!

[scrutney]

monkey boy's got a point...and although i like "maxwell", i'm not a fan of "octopus' garden."

other than that, abbey road cops my vote as a darn near perfect album...and side two is absolute perfection.
but that's another thread.