The Lost Art of the Music Album: What are some of your favorite albums?

The rise of iTunes, YouTube, etc has had a detrimental effect on the way we experience an artist's musical creation. In days past, inspired artists (the ones with vision and talent, not those just looking to make a buck) occasionally produced albums that, from beginning to end, were carefully arranged as a composition, rather than a compilation of individual songs. Some of the best albums told a story, some evoked an emotion, others brought the listener full circle-- but one common denominator in a perfectly crafted album is that the listener would be entranced from start to finish, and unlikely to skip their least favorite songs as not to disturb the intended effect.

I, for one, sorely miss the expertly crafted album. It's an art I'd love to see revitalized.

Here are a few examples of amazing artistic compositions:

Kate Bush Hounds of Love-- this album tells a story of death and rebirth:



Van Morrison Astral Weeks-- please take the time to read this amazing review on this inspired album. I couldn't do it justice but Lester Bangs did!
personal.cis.strath.ac.uk...

Here's a link to a playlist with the full album.. (don't know how to imbed this- anyone who could help?)
www.youtube.com...

Iron and Wine Our Endless Numbered Days-- amazing album!



And here is my favorite rap album Outkast Atliens:



Please share your own favorite albums! I would very highly recommend you check out the ones I shared if you don't already know them.

Can't wait to hear yours!

Mind Crime

originally posted by: olaru12
Mind Crime

Thanks for sharing, listening now!

Oasis.. what's the story morning glory..

a reply to: zosimov

I don't know how to describe this album. It's completely unique.

The first progressive rock album. It's a total experience.

originally posted by: robbeh
Oasis.. what's the story morning glory..


youtu.be/7HF1Sfos3v4

Here ya go! Awesome about your uncle.. I really think that Van did something magnificent with the aforementioned album. His other music was great as well, but Astral Weeks was inspired (if you read the linked review, you'll see that he was in a bit of a trance while writing).

Thanks for contributing! I really liked Oasis back in the day. Will check it out

a reply to: alldaylong

Just the sort of thing I was looking for (an experience). Thanks!

a reply to: zosimov

2112 by Rush is one of the finest examples of artistic compositions , a true tour de force.


Then there's anything that Pink Floyd did , pure class.

Operation: Mindcrime from Queensryche............Great rock album, great story!

London Calling from The Clash........................Just great songs from beginning to end

Baja Sessions from Chris Isaak.........................Nice flow, soothing, all great songs

a reply to: gortex
To be honest, Rush was never aesthetically appealing to me.. though I do recognize talent when I hear it.. and Rush is definitely talented (drummer especially).

I just love all Pink Floyd though! Animals is my fav by them ( perhaps because less commercial?) but I loved them all up until Division Bell.

Thanks for your post and will listen to the album.

a reply to: ZenTam

Thanks for posting! I enjoy all of the artists you mentioned (and you're the second to nominate Queensryche) but have not heard those albums in their entirety.. I'm in for a lot of time listening!

a reply to: zosimov

thanks for the vid il read the review now great music he done !!

a reply to: zosimov
One of my longtime favs, featuring David Bowie on Keys, sax, vocals, guitar,, Carlos Alomar, etc.

a reply to: robbeh

I'm so glad you're gonna read it.. truly the best album review I've ever read.

Here's a quote from the review (found in OP), in hopes it may entice others to check it out:

Cale's story might or might not be true - but facts are not going to be of much use here in any case. Fact: Van Morrison was twenty-two - or twenty-three - years old when he made this record; there are lifetimes behind it. What Astral Weeks deals in are not facts but truths. Astral Weeks, insofar as it can be pinned down, is a record about people stunned by life, completely overwhelmed, stalled in their skins, their ages and selves, paralyzed by the enormity of what in one moment of vision they can comprehend. It is a precious and terrible gift, born of a terrible truth, because what they see is both infinitely beautiful and terminally horrifying: the unlimited human ability to create or destroy, according to whim. It's no Eastern mystic or psychedelic vision of the emerald beyond, nor is it some Baudelairean perception of the beauty of sleaze and grotesquerie. Maybe what it boiled down to is one moment's knowledge of the miracle of life, with its inevitable concomitant, a vertiginous glimpse of the capacity to be hurt, and the capacity to inflict that hurt.

It's a truly great review of an even greater album.

a reply to: ugmold

Awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. Will get to it soon!

I hate the fact music did away with the idea of albums. I'm no fan of the modern day single download. I believe true artists would want to make more than just a couple good songs.
Long live the album.
Btw, Atliens was a good album, I still have the cassette. Showing my age.

originally posted by: VinylTyrant
Long live the album.

Cheers to that!

Awesome thread. If I wasn't in mobile I'd be laying down some tunes here, but I did want to point something out..

I believ albums are back on he rise. Progressive rock / concept albums are still popping up. Most importantly to me is the resurgence of vinyl in the last 10 years..

Reznor just released some "vinyl only" stuff with this same very thing in mind.

Some bands still know how to an album instead of just songs, hopefully more get into it.
Cycles.

a reply to: SteamyJeans

Thanks for the comment, and you make an excellent point! So much is found by outward exploration.. and yet many of us find ourselves right back at the beginning (like you wrote, cycles).

Ah, Rezner- another guy who knew how to create an excellent album.

Hope to see you on here later, when you can share some of your faves.

a reply to: zosimov

Probably the best album that fits the Original Posters parameters is the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's: