Timeless and Classic albums....

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Ok..

So name you fave albums that u believe have not aged in terms of songs and production, mixing, engineering etc etc etc....

My current is as i've said b4 is Massive Attack's 'Blue Lines'. It came out in 91 and still sounds as fresh, original and inspiring as it does when i pop it on the CD player regularly and sit and chill...

So lets hear it from everyone!

PEACE
Wiggy

[kushan_ku]

Bryan Ferry - "Avalon" (roxy music) and "Bete Noir" (spelling). I could go on and on but those two came to mind pretty fast.

Mark Bolans song "get it on" always sounds like it was recorded yesterday.

Same with Earth Wind & Fire.

[e-cue]

Bob Marley : Natty Dread

[BevvyB]

READ THE QUESTION - He say's albums only...

The only album that seems to have ever pulled that feat off for me is Earth, Wind & Fire - 'I Am', which still amazes me now in every aspect.

It is one of the few albums that I manhandle people into shops to buy if they say they haven't heard it.

These four things must all be there for an album to be great for me

great songwriting
great arrangement
great performance
great production
great mix




I have other favourite records, but as an album 'I Am' is as complete as it gets for me. I can't think of any rock ones that are that good all the way through. (Although abvious ones like Back In Black -ACDC come to mind, there's only a few tracks that rule, it's not a great album)

Although Achtung Baby is REALLY close for me (has all 5 points).

And does Pink Floyd get in there? Well, as 'albums' go Wish You Were Here has always been a favourite....but I think that's 'cheating' in some kind of way...it's more instrumental, and though I love Pink Floyd, I could live without them.

Oh, and I thought Blue Lines sounded really dated the other day when I heard it...so ner

[Gone Fission]

What keeps getting me is how timeless the two Janes Addiction studio albums sound compared to most of the alternative rock boom that followed on their heels. I think people still really don't understand everything they had going on.

But I guess I should make sure I'm talking the same "timeless" everyone else is. Compare Mixerman's diary comments of what a "modern" guitar sound is. Is it timeless because it sounds like it could have been made 10 or 20 years ago, or because it would sound as fresh today as it did when it came out? I'm going with the later notion on my pick.

Bear

[vsl666]

my fav albums by these artists are timless to me
in the sense that the humanity that they display
is what we always have been and will be...

(hallalu hallalu)

evileye

all modern entertainment is a fasion statment and disposable

[5down1up]

i was listening to the latest bobby mcferrin cd featuring chick corea on piano ... " will be a classic soon "

it provides the best musicians ( an we all know what kinda sound that brings ) and a unbelievable dynamic & sound .

"respect" ... WOW


even if its not your kinda music , give it a try

" its from outer space "


the chance to hear some real " wordclass " players compared to some headbangers

[3rdpath]

i was just thinking about recent "timeless" albums...i agree with all the above criteria but would also add one more...a genuine sense of flow and continuity throughout the record. one you can listen to completely and enjoy it's unfolding like chapters in a well-written book.

my 2 picks...

Counting Crows...august and everything after

Sarah McLachlan...fumbling towards ecstacy

[Drumsound]

I think most records will have a time associated to them. Either the sound of when they were made, of when you discovered them.tut

[Renie]

I agree Drumsound. I suppose some records touch us regardless of when they were recorded.

The album that springs to mind when I read this thread is
Scott 4: Scott Walker

It sounds so of it's time and yet so timeless too.

[joris de man]

Depeche Mode's 'Songs of Faith and Devotion'...

awesome production, interesting mixing, and an album filled with good songs..they never did anything like it since....
Before that you'd never thought DM could 'rock' like that
my 2 cents,

Joe

[Midlandmorgan]

Ricky Skaggs "Live in London" has a certain appeal that to my ears still sets the standard for what 'country' music sounds like...great sound, great songs...who would have thought that bluegrass could be so powerful, even when 'electrified' like that?!?

Burned up one record and 2 cassettes worth...still trying to find it on CD.

But, yet again, that's just one man's opinion...

[splattercell]

hey, folk.
i submit:
'spirit of eden': talk talk
'descendre': terje rypdal

dt / s-c

[Greg Heimbecker]

...well, I'm a little intimadated to be following a post by dt... an honor to share a virtual space with you sir.

MeShell Ndegeocello's "Peace Beyond Passion"
so much of ECMs output in the 80's... for our purposes here I'll nominate
Jack Dejohnette's "New Directions Live in Europe"
David Sylvian's 'Gone to Earth"
John Coltrane "First Meditations for Quartet" I'd love to hear this remastered as nicely as the "complete" Quartet studio recordings released a few years ago. Does the link between the heart & the hands get any shorter?

Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" SACD

[Knox]

Everytime I hear something from L A Woman by the Doors . . . . it always strikes me as something that sounds as if it were recorded yesterday. To think that it was done in their manager's office is also a 'screw u' to anyone that thinks records can only sound good that are recorded in a 'perfect studio'. Deep Purple Machine Head is another. That first Van Halen record . . . . I would love to hear someone with a DAW try to make a record that sounds like that.

Love Supreme, John Coltrane . . . Kind of Blue Miles Davis . . . What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

[JohnL]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by splattercell
[B]hey, folk.
i submit:
'spirit of eden': talk talk

I'd agree with that quite a bit - as well as 'Laughing Stock'

By the way, I've just about worn out a copy of 'Tripping Over God'

John

[alphajerk]

thats a weird question. mainly due to the fact that each successive generation takes entirely from the past yet adding another layer to the history.

i think most recordings DATE.

music itself doesnt.

take miles for example. listening to bitches brew and then putting an panthalassa.

i would love to hear laswell do jimi hendrix. the bob marley one he did was sickly incredible sounding... makes original bob sound kinda weaker... i just sorely miss bob's voice in the mix [i know its supposed to be a dub remix but...]. if he put bobs voice in there i would have the ULTIMATE bob marley album.

i think the TOP modern stuff BLOWS away older "classic" recordings. im not talking about this commercial schwag recordings... like fridmann, godrich, laswell. like sparklehorses 'its a wonderful life' or flaming lips 'clouds taste metallic' or becks 'mutations' or material 'hallucination engine'... do these recordings date? all basically ignore the pop timeline and date to when you finally LISTEN to one of them.... oddly enough i cant remember the time that i heard them for the first time. they all feel like they have been a part of my life forever.

or how about buddy guys 'sweet tea' album. first time i heard it i couldnt believe it was done in '01, sweet bejeezus. sounds like old as hell. i loved reading about that in mix mag regarding the production notes last year. that album radically changed my production style... BIGTIME.

[Jax]

Miles Davis and Gil Evans - Sketches of Spain

Beautiful hypnosis on a disk.

Flamenco and traditional Spanish music woven together (no crease, no seam) with Miles' exploratory, open-minded approach to jazz.

Don't know what else to say, except maybe that the music manages to be unique and still sound like a natural art. Doesn't sound like a forced merger of styles at all.

Feels exotic and takes you somewhere else.

[5down1up]

what about ...

david bowies china girl ... ( stevie ray on git , bob clearmountain behind the desk ) ... smokin

peter gabriel " us "

michael jackson ( black album , what was the name ??? )

jeff becks blow by blow

i like a lot the sound of seals " human being " cd

and many more

[splattercell]

Originally posted by JohnL

I'd agree with that quite a bit - as well as 'Laughing Stock'

By the way, I've just about worn out a copy of 'Tripping Over God'
John

cool, cool: gladya likey!

the first of that series.
personally, it's the next 2 recordings wherein the music started to come into focus for me:
'what means 'solid', traveller?' and
'splattercell: OAH'.
best,
dt / s-c

[splattercell]

Originally posted by Greg Heimbecker
...well, I'm a little intimadated to be following a post by dt... an honor to share a virtual space with you sir.

gh,
intimidated? pshaw: ya gotta be kidding (i hope!).
thanks fer the welcome, suse.
best,
dt / s-c

[JohnL]

Originally posted by splattercell


cool, cool: gladya likey!

the first of that series.
personally, it's the next 2 recordings wherein the music started to come into focus for me:
'what means 'solid', traveller?' and
'splattercell: OAH'.
best,
dt / s-c

Actually, and this is embarrasing, but the album I actually meant was "What Means Solid, Traveler?", although I do like Tripping... as well.

I definately like OAH, too, but I haven't listened to it enough yet (I know, it's been out for a while) to know it well. Are there more Splattercell things in the works?

It's nice to be able to tell someone that you enjoy their work - thanks for putting it out there.

John

[splattercell]

Originally posted by JohnL

Actually, and this is embarrasing, but the album I actually meant was "What Means Solid, Traveler?", although I do like Tripping... as well.
I definately like OAH, too, but I haven't listened to it enough yet (I know, it's been out for a while) to know it well. Are there more Splattercell things in the works?
It's nice to be able to tell someone that you enjoy their work - thanks for putting it out there.

ah, yeah: WMS,T was a bit of a benchmark, for me..... as was splattercell:OAH.
there is quite a bit of fresh splattercell-goo 'in the can' ---('on the drives', actually)--- but it's gotta wait until i finish the film i'm scoring right now.....
('the sin eater', by brian helgeland / 20th cent. fox).
best,
dt / splattercell

[Kamurah]

Hmm...some great listings so far...

I like:

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong sing Gershwin (Verve compilation) - F*ckin awesome!
Blossom Dearie - another Verve classic
Roxy Music - Avalon
Brian Ferry - Bette Noire, Boys and Girls, Taxi - Just love the prod work on these albums
Seal - Both albums
Miles Davis - Blue Miles

am kinda diggin the latest Tony Bennet CD too...reminds me of those TV commercials for the Dean Martin celebrity roasts....y'know....simpler times when stars could come on T.V, get hammered, have a good time, and everybody loved them for it.

Ironic list from a guy who writes and records nothing but electronic music :eek:

Cheers

[oldgearguy]

Some others for consideration:

Scraping Foetus off the Wheel - Nail
Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain
Colin Newman - It Seems
Dub Syndicate - Songs of Praise
Michael Hurley, et al - Have Moicy!

[Diginerd]

A few on my list:-

Left Field - Leftism
Portishead - Dummy
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes

[splattercell]

ach, forgot two:

chocolate genius: black music (regardless of my involvement, really)

and,

year of the horse: a film about neil young & crazy horse, by jim jarmusch

sideways,
dt / splattercell

[splattercell]

eek.
and:

mezzanine: massive attack

dream theory in malaya: jon hassell

bleep,
dt / s-c

[M_Dunne]

Joni "Blue"

Sounds great.

Is great.

Seems like maybe the albums with really simple arrangements and instruments (acoustic guitar, piano, voice) age more slowly than stuff with huge guitar sounds, massive vocal effects, etc.

no?

-MD