Someday that 400 gig iPod will come out and this will all be moot

1 Charles Mingus * The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (Impulse!) 63
2 The Stooges * Fun House (Elektra) 70
3 Talking Heads * Remain In Light (Sire) 80
4 The Rolling Stones * Exile On Main St. (Rolling Stones) 72
5 Van Morrison * Astral Weeks (WB) 68
6 The Jimi Hendrix Experience * Are You Experienced? (Reprise) 67
7 The Beatles * Revolver (Capitol) 66
8 Velvet Underground * Velvet Underground & Nico (Verve) 67
9 John Coltrane * A Love Supreme (Impulse!) 64
10 Bob Dylan * Blood On The Tracks (Columbia) 75

I'm late to the party, as usual. Hope it's still OK to respond to this.

As I will likely become schizophrenic during the course of my being a castaway-- unless there's a Guinness tap on said island, that is-- I'd have to take discs that accomodate a wide range of moods:

1. Who's Next, The Who. IMO the single greatest rock album ever.

2. Abbey Road, The Beatles. Their best, IMO. Pop doesn't get any better.

3. Five Leaves Left, Nick Drake. Contains Drake's prettiest track ("Cello Song"). Maybe not as "great" as Pink Moon, but not as harrowing, either-- and who needs harrowing when you're stuck alone on a desert island?

4. For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, Caravan. One of several great albums from the Monty Python of progressive rock. Prog with a sense of humor? Wink wink, nudge nudge.

5. Moving Pictures, Rush. Best album by my favorite band.

6. Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain/And God Created Great Whales, Seattle Symphony. A terrific set of pieces by one of the great underrated composers. Excellent recording.

7. Birds of Fire, Mahavishnu Orchestra. The definitive fusion record, although it's too good for the 'fusion' label. Two words: Billy Cobham.

8. Shringara Nepal, Shringara Nepal. The best disc by my tabla guru's band; their Raga Yaman is frighteningly intense.

9. As Night Falls on the Silk Road, Ghazal. Awesome Indo-Persian folk fusion. "Traces of the Beloved" is the sound of the transfiguration of the Soul.

10. Saturday Night in Bombay, Remember Shakti. Great Indian jazz.

Wow. So many favorites didn't make the cut. Too much good music to choose from-- no King Crimson, no Ravi Shankar, no Stones, no techno, no Beethoven or Bach on my list. Good thing I wasn't selecting for the Voyager record.

Albireo, nothing third-magnitude about that list. I meant to comment on how much I appreciated seeing In the Court of the Crimson King on your list of best album covers and forgot. It is still freaky after all thse years, though it lost something when it was shrunk down to the size of a jewell box.

The Hovhaness is a favorite of mine as well and you're right, Birds of Fire is one of the few albums of that period that still holds up well and transcends the "fusion" label.

Now Playing: "Theologians" Wilco A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)

LinnTate:

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Albireo, nothing third-magnitude about that list.

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<--- (astronomy reference smile)

I have to say, I feel a bit out of step here-- I've read through a lot of the threads, and I recognize maybe 1/8 of the artists that are talked about here, and almost nothing from this century. God, I feel so old...

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I meant to comment on how much I appreciated seeing In the Court of the Crimson King on your list of best album covers and forgot. It is still freaky after all thse years, though it lost something when it was shrunk down to the size of a jewell box.

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Yeah, one of my favorites. I always wanted to have the wall in one of our hallways painted with that cover. Wife wouldn't let me, for some reason...

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The Hovhaness is a favorite of mine as well and you're right, Birds of Fire is one of the few albums of that period that still holds up well and transcends the "fusion" label.

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Whenever people start claiming that there's no good modern classical music, Hovhaness is a great rebuttal; he's maybe not overly original or "new," but he's certainly modern. (I first discovered him on the soundtrack to Carl Sagan's Cosmos.)

And the best way way to start a fight between Mahavishnu fans is to ask which is better, Birds of Fire or Inner Mounting Flame. Worlds have turned on such arguments....

You're not alone feeling a bit out of step, Albireo. I took most of the 90s off from keeping up with new music. It's been work getting caught up, but pleasant work as I've found the state of music has improved markedly from the direction I feared it was going in the early 90s, thanks in now small part to the smaller, independent labels.

The pickings are a bit sparse, though, for the Prog Rock fan. Still, if you've not checked out albums from Wilco and The Flaming Lips, you might be pleasantly surprised.

On the jazz front there are two notable albums from this year you might enjoy. Trumpeter Dave Douglas added guitarist Bill Frisell to his group for Strange Liberation, which seems to lean more toward where the best of fusion was heading than the sort of avant garde sensbility we've come to expect from his groups. Also, forum member Buck "Sweetie" McGuck has been tirelessly and rightfully championing Craig Taborn's Junk Magic. Taborn is well known for his affinity for the electric piano, but this time out has developed a truly elegant marriage of jazz and electronics.

Given your obvious affection for music that embraces strong ethnic influences, I would also encourage you to check an album from last year from Badawi. He's hard for me to categorize only becuase he's part of the dub/DJ scene that I don't know well, but the album Clones & False Prophets is catching my attention more and more. It features really spectacular percussion work.

Hovhaness is an interesting figure. He's very popular with audiences, but was largely shunned by the music establishment in his career. I've never quite understood why. I find his music at least as challening as Lou Harrison who enjoyed much greater critical acclaim and professional esteem. Gerard Schwarz deserves credit for serving as a champion for Havhaness' work.

Now Playing: "Train Song" Mindy Smith One Moment More (Vanguard)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LinnTate,

Thanks for the pointers. I know of Wilco and The Flaming Lips, but haven't really yet investigated them (and didn't know Wilco to be anything but standard indie-band fare, if very well done, judging from the ratings); it's hard to try out new artists when money and time are excruciatingly tight. (And I don't have TV, except for VHS/DVD playback.) I'm starting to hit the sound samples on Amazon and use the joy of iTunes for purchasing, if somewhat furtively.

At the risk of taking this thread waaayyy off-topic... I've discovered, as the years flash by, that progressive rock interests me less and less. While I still cling tight to the old Crimson/Yes/Genesis/Rush (etc.) stuff, most of the newer prog (Dream Theater/Spock's Beard/Transatlantic/Flower Kings and the like) leaves me cold. In many ways it feels moreregressive than anything. And of those old standbys, only King Crimson is really currently releasing music that satisfies. I actually find bands like Soundgarden, Sigur Ros, The Secret Machines, and even Kula Shaker (!) to be more progressive than the bands that carry the banner officially.

As well, having started tabla studies, I find music from Indian traditions, as well as that from much of the Subcontinent, to be much more satisfying emotionally, intellectually, and technically than the neo-proggies. (Why listen to some prog guitarist overplay when I can listen to Shujaat Khan burn it up with soul?)

Rock-wise, I listen to everything from Radiohead to Simon & Garfunkel, from The Allman Brothers Band to Zappa, and I guess what really matters to me in pop/rock music is a) that music be technically well-performed and that b) it stands out from the flock. On the occasions I listen to the radio, I don't hear much new that fits the bill, IMO. I understand that the best stuff often gets no airplay; I also know that there may in fact be a great deal of new music that I would like, and it's simply lost in the deluge of new releases each month. I often let All Music Guide show me what's new that I might like, but now the time isn't always there to browse.

Again, thanks for the pointers. My tastes may be finicky, but my ears are always open.

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Originally posted by Albireo:
...and didn't know Wilco to be anything but standard indie-band fare, if very well done, judging from the ratings...

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Then you're in for a very pleasant surprise. The most recent three albums, Summerteeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, or A Ghost Is Born are probably the best place for you to start, though zeroing in on which one will be point of some contention. As different people and you'll get different answers, of course. I tend to view Radiohead and Wilco as this generation's Beatles and Byrds respectively, but that is certainly a clumsy comparison.

I appreciate your insight regarding today's Prog Rock bands. I had always thought I was the one missing something when I found today's ostensible keepers of the flame coming up short for my taste. I'm glad it's not just me.

I also envy you your study of tabla. It's providing you with further insights I know I lack.

It's damn hard to discover anything new and worthwhile listening to the radio, which makes the forums and various Web sites essential for me. In just the two months I've been hanging out here, I feel like I've been through a crash course and I'm liking it.

Now Playing: The Red Sox leading The Yankees 9-6 after seven on ESPN. Looks like The Yankees are staging something of a rally.

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Originally posted by philosopherEric:


1. Beach Boys-Pet Sounds (although the new 30 track best-of might be a close contender)
2. The Replacements-Tim (a touchstone record from my teens-I'm not sure it's their best, but it evokes SO much of my youth, I can't even imagine not having it around)
3. Scud Mountain Boys (the soundtrack to another period of my life)
4. Whiskeytown-Strangers Almanac
5. Go-Betweens-16 Lover's Lane
6. Waterboys-Fisherman's Blues
7. Lloyd Cole-s/t (these last three are all strangely connected in my head...I can't take one without wanting to hear the other two)
8. Fountains of Wayne-Welcome Interstate Managers (unless my wife is with me on the island. She HATES this record, my favorite of last year)
9. Jellyfish-Bellybutton (the longer, Japanese version)
10. Uncle Tupelo 87-93 (It's missing some of my favorite songs, but it's the best distillation of the four records)

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As I was working on a comp disc for a group of folks, I revisited this list and found it, strangely, satisfying. But I could have, or should have, also included:

Echo and the Bunnymen- What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?: Most Bunnymen fans HATE this one, but I find it soothing, moody, and beautifully relaxing.

Proud Mary-The Same Old Blues: A favorite of Noel Gallagher, this record was the soundtrack to my move from Atlanta to St. Louis in 2001. An emotional, heartfelt piece of Britpop-cum-alt-country.

The Jayhawks-Smile.
Deacon Blue-Very Best of.

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Originally posted by Albireo:
...most of the newer prog (Dream Theater/Spock's Beard/Transatlantic/Flower Kings and the like) leaves me cold. In many ways it feels more_re_gressive than anything.

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There's hope for you yet! There's nothing progressive about most of that stuff. It doesn't come out until April, but from what I heard Simon Reynolds' book Rip It Up And Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984 will uncover quite a significant prog influence on that music. John Lydon would sneer at Pink Floyd, but was really digging the likes of Van Der Graaf Generator and Gong. Aside from post-punk, there's much to dig into in electronica, global music and post-rock (coincidentally coined by Reynolds in talking about Talk Talk, Bark Psychosis, Disco Inferno, Ice, Techno Animal and the like).

1. Pink Floyd - Animals
2. Velvet Underground - VU&N
3. Radiohead - OK Computer
4. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
5. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
6. Pixies - Doolittle
7. R.E.M. - New Adventures In Hi-Fi
8. Sonic Youth - SYR4: Goodbye 20th Century
9. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy
10. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division - Closer
Joy Division - Substance
Bjork - Greatest Hits
Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Portishead - Dummy
Pulp - Different Class
Ramones - It's Alive

Hi everybody!
First of all, nice to meet you all, this is my first post here.
Then, my Desert Island selection: enjoy it!

(random order)

Can, Tago Mago
Residents, Meet The Residents
Faust, Faust
Frank Zappa And The Mothers Of Invention, Absolutely Free
John Cale, Paris 1919
Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band, Trout Mask Replica
Velvet Underground, White Light/White Heat
Tortoise, Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Stooges, Fun House
Brian Eno, Before And After Science

Bye
Fabio

Hi, backatcha, Fabio. That's a wacky, weird, and wonderful list. I hope you drop by a few of the other categories and weigh in on the 80s, 90s, and 00s, among others. I'd be interested in your picks.

Now Playing: American Public Media's Marketplace

Thanks, LinnTate! I'm into also other genres, and i'm listening '00 music so much...
In the last months i've been captured mostly from:
Cocorosie, La Maison De Mon Reve
Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing In The Hands
Andre3000, The Love Below
Faust & Dalek, Derbe Respect Alder
Xiu Xiu, Fabulous Muscles
Spektrum, Enter The Spektrum
Liars, They Were Wrong So We Drowned
And, well, I'm a big fan of '80 and '90, from garage to lo-fi, from post-punk to post-rock, and much more.
At this very moment i'm listening to Ween's Pure Guava...
I wrote that selection because, if i got to choose for a deserd island, it might be something for long time, so it's better to bring with you what you consider the best, without thinking the decades (uh huh, i'm seeing that i've just pick an album from '90 and none from '80 and '00...)
Bye, respect and
Fabio

Hi all. I hope I'm not too late to get on the bandwagon here...

Beastie Boys - Anthology: The Sounds of Science
The Chemical Brothers - Singles 93-03
The Crystal Method - Legion of Boom
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
Electric Six - Fire
New Order - Get Ready
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Powerman 5000 - transform.
The Prodigy - Music For the Jilted Generation

Thanks for listening to my inane babble.
kwakerjak

As a newcomer here, this seemed like the perfect thread to get starte with. If this is going to be more or less the last 10 cd's i can ever listen to, nothing new nothing changes, no ipods, then i figure i have to go with a diverse selection to satisify all moods, etc. and so i don't get sick of anything.

in no particular order:
brand new - deja entendu

metallica - the black album

the beatles - the white album

postal service - give up

outkast - speakerboxxx/the love below (other outkast albums are better but this lets me have an extra disc of diverse music

nirvana - mtv unplugged

Coldplay - a rush of blood to the head

led zeppelin - how the west was won (another multi-disc goodie)

various artists - garden state, the soundtrack

white stripes - elephant

minus the bear - highly refined pirates


such a hard list to come up with, i'll probably wanna change it in 5 minutes, but so is the nature of music

it's my turn:

led zeppelin led zeppelin
the jimi hendrix experience axis:bold as love
interpol turn on the bright lights
QOTSA songs for the deaf
kyuss blues for the red sun
jane's addiction ritual de lo habitual
pink floyd meddle
dinosaur, jr. where you been
helmet meantime
RHCP blood sugar sex magic

O, hmm interesting question. Here are my ten.

Abbey Road
Blonde on Blonde
The Stone Roses
Exile on Main Street
The Bends
Bringing It All Back Home
Soft Bulletin
VU and Nico
Blue
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Well, I'd want some stuff that wouldn't get old fast.

Radiohead--Kid A
Neutral Milk Hotel--In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Notwist--Neon Golden
Gordon Lightfoot--Sundown
Nick Drake--Pink Moon
Sun Kil Moon--Ghosts of the Great Highway
Sufjan Stevens--Seven Swans
Fiery Furnaces--Blueberry Boat
Wrens--Meadowlands
Bedhead--Transaction de Novo
Eels--Electro-Shock Blues

Mmmm, I love making lists like this (even though I always think, well, after about a week, I'd be sick of all the discs).

"Exile on Main St." -- Rolling Stones
"The Stone Roses" -- The Stone Roses
"The Roches" -- The Roches
"Doolittle" -- Pixies
"I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" -- Sinead O'Connor
"A Hard Day's Night" -- The Beatles
"This Year's Model" -- Elvis Costello
"OK Computer" -- Radiohead
"The Queen is Dead" -- The Smiths
"3 E.P.s" -- The Beta Band

(honourable mentions --
"Blonde on Blonde" -- Dylan
"Marquee Moon" -- Television
"Pet Sounds" -- Beach Boys
"Rings Around the World" -- Super Furry Animals)