[cram]

I'm going to bend the rules a little and list two for each purpose.

For open and clean reference:
Talk Talk: Colour of Spring
Bill Frisell: Nashville

For compressed but still clear:
Tool: Aenima
Steve Earle: Copperhead Road

For smashed but still listenable:
Prong: Rude Awakening
SoundGarden: Badmotorfinger

For raw but still controlled:
Flaming Lips:Clouds Taste Metallic
Radiohead: The Bends

For the unattainable:
Peter Gabriel: Last Temptation of Christ

Where are the new emoticons we were promised dammit!!!!