A recommendation list for albums
Originally posted on Substack on 5/1/2023.
I don’t remember where I found it (I think it was Fucking Homepage but it might’ve been Facebook…) but I just signed up for a cool website called Album Whale and its perfect if you’re a music geek who loves lists. It allows you to organize recommended albums into well-designed lists from your music app of choice that then show both the right album cover and any notes you provide about your choice.
I just built my first one - “The Ars Nihil Fundamentals” - and added the 15 albums mentioned below as the initial entries for that list. Feel free to check out both my list over time and Album Whale itself, since it’s a lot of fun to use.
The Very Best Of - The 5th Dimension: When my parents drove me to things as a kid, we always had WBIG-FM on in the car, so I grew up with a steady diet of oldies from the 50s to early 70s (this is when WBIG was Oldies 100 and not the current classic rock format it changed around 2006). This album is actually a placeholder for the very first CD I ever bought with my own money: The 5th Dimension's Greatest Hits on Earth. I still love The 5th Dimension, by the way...
Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd: I don't usually like recommending compilations, but this one is vital to me because it’s exactly how I came to hearing Pink Floyd, began my moving away from just listening to Jock Jams CDs, and digging through Blender/Mojo/Rolling Stone/Spin/etc. to see what else was out there. My journey as a music geek started here.
Discovery - Daft Punk: I don't have anything profound to say about this one, other than it's always been a favorite. I remember listening to it on loop at my uncle's house during the summer on my headphones while having to treat it like a guilty pleasure throughout high school until everyone else caught up in 2007.
Echoes - The Rapture: I had been reading about electroclash and dance-punk at the time I was recommended this one at a local Hot Topic by the cashier (I don't know if they still sell music...). It's not one of my favorite albums but it's one of my most important ones, since it hooked me on the genre. I actually prefer Pieces of the People We Love (their 2nd album) and "How Deep is Your Love?" from In The Grace of Your Love but "House of Jealous Lovers" from this one should be heard at least once in your life...
Die Reklamation - Wir sind Helden: I'm sure this one's not rare if you're from Germany but not a common one for Americans. First saw some of the videos when visiting Germany in 2003, loved what I heard, and bought it in Frankfurt. No regrets on that decision, especially since I still sing these songs to myself now (esp. "Denkmal").
Africa Brasil - Jorge Ben: Punchy, funky, and coolly timeless. This album from Jorge Ben is really the perfect introduction into Brazilian pop music, which is a whole exciting world to explore even if you don't know Portuguese.
Cowboy Bebop OST - Yoko Kanno & the Seatbelts: Ah, Cowboy Bebop - the anime you always recommend to Those Who Don't Like Anime. I do love the show but it also feels like a no-brainer when the subject comes up. This soundtrack still is highly recommended, whether you know the show or not.
Motor-Booty Affair - Parliament: I love funk music, especially what P-Funk has put out. Mothership Connection is usually cited as the best one to listen if you could pick only one but I'd personally recommend this one and/or Uncle Jam Wants You instead.
Station to Station - David Bowie: This whole thing could just be filled with Bowie albums but this one is my clear favorite since my early 20s.
The Dreaming - Kate Bush: I love The Hounds of Love like anyone else but what's the most Kate Bush of Kate Bush albums out there? The Dreaming.
Roxy Music - Roxy Music: Became a huge Roxy Music fan in college, though my intro was For Your Pleasure. The first album is still the best, though.
Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia - Various Artists: I went through a box set phase when I started getting disposable income in my mid-20s. This was the best one out of them, since I love 70s soul music.
Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder: Do I really need to explain this one?...
Pink Flag - Wire: One of the only true "perfect" albums I can think of - while only 35 minutes, you can put it on, love every song, and appreciate the thought that went into this while still remaining Punk.
Congratulations - MGMT: My understanding is this is a more hated album, but I really appreciate how weird MGMT decided to be after having a couple hit songs under their belt. It doesn't always "work" but it definitely is a vibe unto itself.
This is only the beginning, by the way, so stay tuned for more additions.
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