50 Albums you must hear before you buy a house 3.0 (5)

Let it snow, here we go: #10-6.

GVZ:

10. (4) Genesis – Selling England by the Pound (1973)
“Enchanting epitaph of British culture, that perished as a result of mulinational-led consumerism. If punk only had a little fantasy, I would maybe have liked it.”

9. (17) Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run (1973)
“People making pictures with an iPad, people telling me there is no alternative, people with melons on their head: no other album better fuels my need to leave it all behind and settle on a desert island.”

8. (7) Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)
“My desert island.”

7. (10) The Beatles – Abbey Road (1969)
“Three of the best all-time solo debuts for the price of one triumphal break-up. And ‘Octopus’s Garden’ always turns a smile on my face.”

6. (3) Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow (1967)
“Abbey Road just knows what I need, but Pillow knows what I want.”

RKH:

10. (10) The Band – The Band (1969)
“The album solely responsible for my undeniable urge to one day (someday, I swear I will) make an extended roadtrip through the South of the USA.”

9. (5) Paul Simon – Graceland (1986)
“Instantaneously likeable, yet keeps on giving. The only answer you’ll ever need to your first world problems? ‘Boom boom!’ “

8. (11) Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)
“The sound of The Greatest Band Alive embracing their own past, present and future. “

7. (18) The Beatles – Abbey Road (1969)
That B-side contains the greatest 22 minutes and 13 seconds in rock history. Simple fact. The A-side’s not too shabby either.”

6. (3) Genesis – Selling England by the Pound (1973)
“Scientific evidence that imagination is still humankind’s most worthwhile characteristic. Take my hand Peter and lead me to your beautiful and slightly frightening world.”

GF:

10. The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)
“Een ochtendalbum en dan bedoel ik elke ochtend al vijf jaar lang.”

9. Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)
“Van samenzang gesproken, mijn stem is geen meerwaarde maar bij ‘Cecilia’ kan ik me niet inhouden.”

8. Songs: Ohia – The Magnolia Electric Co. (2003)
“Een album voor een zondagmiddag, voor een herfstdag of een valavond.”

7. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
“Als dit een top van nummers was, stond ‘Neighbourhood’ bovenaan, maar ik hoef het niet op replay te zetten, dit album kan ik gewoon genietend blijven draaien.”

6. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008)
“Er zijn veel bebaarde zangers die met een gitaar wat samen zingen, stop ermee en luister naar Fleet Foxes.

50 Albums you must hear before you buy a house 3.0 (4)

Getting close to the Holy of Holies, the top ten of the best all-time albums, but first: #20-11!

GVZ:

20. (12) Jethro Tull – Aqualung (1971)
“Like the bearded lady said to me: ‘Anderson unified dirty old men and the church, of course it’s a concept album, and a pretty damn good one too. Look out, a chicken-fancier!’ ”

19. (32) Van Morrison – Astral Weeks (1968)
“One of my worst dreams from the past year must have been the one in which I had written this album.”

18. (9) Panda Bear – Person Pitch (2007)
“From Holland to Wilhelmsburg before ending up in Christiania. That trip was mellow, man.”

17. (19) Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti (1975)
“Four musical geniuses ejaculating on all rock’s subgenres.”

16. (14) Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
“Welcome to this new century, I hope you’re feeling un-comfort-able.”

15. (21) Santana – Abraxas (1970)
“We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas….” 

14. (*) The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
“When one stuck-up musician is trying to outclass himself, great things can happen.”

13. (6) Paul Simon – Graceland (1986)
“The only album from this list you can recommend to everyone, regardless of their musical references. Except American cops. Boom Boom.”

12. (13) The Moody Blues – In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)
“Sgt. Leary’s Searching Souls Club Band.”

11. (18) Pink Floyd – A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
“Gigantic explosion of the Floyd Shuttle on his way from psychedelic to progressive: one casualty, milestone album.”

RKH:

20. (*) The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin (1999)
“Soundtrack of the late 90’s believe of the impending transcendence of humandkind to a higher plane of understanding and compassion. The Naive Album.”

19. (7) Fleetwood Mac – Bare Trees (1972)
“Works anywhere, anytime for whatever reason. The best example of ‘simply great music’.”

18. (31) Prince – Purple Rain (1984)
“How To Become a Rockstar for Dummy’s.”

17. (14) Crosby Stills Nash & Young – Déjà Vu (1970)
“Sometimes a penis measuring contest can result in great things.”

16. (8) Talking Heads – Remain in Light (1980)
“The musical Storming of the Bastille. No sire, it’s not a revolt; it’s a revolution.”

15. (16) Van Morrison – Moondance (1970)
“Yang.”

14. (41) Lou Reed – Berlin (1973)
“No Lou Reed the experimental rock machine, but the boomy chansonnier. My favourite blend of Reed.”

13. (17) Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run (1973)
“The sound of an ego no longer obstructed by three other other ego’s. The best solo-Beatles album. There, I said it. Yeh?”

12. (12) Guided By Voices – Alien Lanes (1995)
“More hooks than a tackle box.”

11. (38) Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
“The cosmic orgasm of the most important musical decade in history.”

GF:

20. Neil Young – Harvest (1972)
“Door rugklachten gekluisterd aan het bed, maakt hij in een innige omhelzing met zijn akoestische gitaar deze prachtige plaat.”

19. The Zombies – Odessey and Oracle (1968)
“Een ode aan de zon.”

18. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground (1969)
“Zonder John Cale, aanvankelijk zonder succes, maar wat een nummers!”

17. Love – Forever Changes (1967)
“Liefde en altijd gaan nooit samen, buiten bij Love en Forever Changes.”

16. Lee Hazlewood – Cowboy In Sweden (1970)
“Ruig en dan weer zweverig, maar altijd diep rakend.”

15. Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run (1973)
“Paul McCartney is nog altijd op zijn best op plaat.”

14. Tom Waits – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards (2006)
“Vanaf de eerste woorden van de bard Tom Waits waan je je in een rokerig café waar een oude man aan de toog zijn levensverhaal vertelt vol met prachtig vertelde tegenslagen.”

13. Townes Van Zandt – The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
“Het lijkt een verzamelalbum, maar het is een gewoon album met enkel en alleen de beste countrynummers.”

12. Neil Young – After the Gold Rush (1970)
“Soms enkel een piano, dan weer zware elektrische gitaren, maar altijd die stem … die stem en die teksten.”

11. Eagles – Hotel California (1976)
“Lange tijd niet de moeite genomen om dit album te beluisteren tot mijn oor bleef hangen bij ‘Try and Love Again’ en vanaf toen deze plaat again, again and again.”

50 Albums you must hear before you buy a house 3.0 (3)

Continuing our lists of relics, with #30-21:

GVZ:

30. (24) Neil Young – Harvest (1972)
“I am not a preacher, but just real lucky.”

29. (16) Pink Floyd – Atom Heart Mother (1970)
“Switch your gears while I drop the needle: this bed is our kingdom.”

28. (25) The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
“Who doesn’t remember his first time in Pepperland?”

27. (*) XTC – Skylarking (1986)
“Summer afternoon underneath a lone tree, praising yourself the luckiest man on earth with that hot beer you brought along.”

26. (11) Brian Wilson – SMiLE (2004)
“The sun starts to tease my eyes while flowers are growing out of my ass: the album winter can’t beat.”

25. (31) The Byrds – The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
“If angels had balls, they would have been called Byrds.”

24. (20) Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)
“This album is even better than our last one, will somebody finally save us please?”

23. (36) Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
“Like a proud mother among her 49 sublime children.”

22. (*) The Kinks – Face to Face (1966)
“One of my best dreams from the past year must have been the one in which I had written this album.”

21. (15) The Band – The Band (1969)
“Yes we can (tell you where your country lies). “

RKH:

30. (28) Neil Young – After the Gold Rush (1970)
“The meaning of life, narrated by a 25 year old.”

29. (13) Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue (1977)
“Could have been the best album ever, if only it wouldn’t have been a double album.”

28. (15) The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
“Better than Pet Sounds.”

28. (27) Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)
“Better than Sgt. Pepper’s.”

26. (6) The Moody Blues – In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)
“Talent + drugs + mysticism = the definitive psychedelic experience.”

25. (23) Bob Dylan – Desire (1976)
“Cocaine fueled cowboys and indians fever dream.”

24. (*) David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
“When the apocalypse finally comes, you can find me in my car blasting this fitting soundtrack.”

23. (*) Love – Forever Changes (1967)
“Confrontational. Uneasy listening. Nerve wrecking. Cracked mirror for a hippie generation.”

22. (*) Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II (1969)
“Led Zep doesn’t care for intellectual ramblings about their music. The Sex Album.”

21. (46) The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
“Velvet Underground stroke its guitars and for the first time music knew the true meaning of ‘freedom’.”

GF:

30. David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
“Ik kende hem al van ‘little fat man’ tijdens Extras, maar hier slaat hij toch een geheel andere weg in.”

29. Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti (1975)
“Bepaalde nummers op deze cd halen telkens een religieus gevoel in mij naar boven.”

28. Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
“Tot ik dit voor de eerste keer hoorde, wist ik niet dat je op deze manier muziek kon maken en uitbrengen.”

27. Pink Floyd – Meddle (1971)
“Angstaanjagend begin, zomers deuntje ertussenin, zingende Liverpool – supporters en een geniale afsluiter.”

26. Neil Young – Harvest Moon (1992)
“Mijn favoriete wandelingen, zijn nachtwandelingen: strompelend of onder een volle maan, dit is in beide gevallen mijn favoriete album daarbij.”

25. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (2011)
“Yeah I’m tongue-tied and dizzy and I can’t keep it to myself”

24. Elliott Smith – Either/Or (1997)
“Een zachte stem, je zou hem niet horen als hij je roept, maar als hij zingt blijven zijn woorden heel lang hangen. “

23. Radiohead – Amnesiac (2001)
“De eerste keer onmiddellijk in de beste omstandigheden en op de meest geschikte plaats gehoord: in bed met zware koorts.”

22. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – I See a Darkness (1999)
“Toen men hem zocht om in een film een eenzaat te spelen had hij zijn darkness, onbereikbaar was hij maandenlang alleen op een roadtrip.”

21. The Beatles – Rubber Soul (1965)
Norwegian Wood, is het boek of het nummer beter, dit is in ieder geval de beste plaat van The Beatles.”

50 Albums you must hear before you buy a house 3.0 (2)

Today, #40-31:

GVZ:

40. (30) Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)
“Best album ever about people wanting everything and getting nowhere by doing so, by a band that’s not searching to find something but just searches because of the searching, that way going somewhere nobody else went before.”

39. (*) Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (1988)
“Moore and Gordon bearing the nineties after a pigfuck.”

38. (43) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009)
“Favorite box of chocolates.”

37. (33) The Band – Music from Big Pink (1968)
“Ticket to Big Pink, duration: 43 minutes, free of charge. Get on that cannonball.”

36. (29) Crosby Stills Nash & Young – Déjà Vu (1970)
“When four stuck-up musicians are trying to outclass each other, great things can happen.”

35. (26) Talking Heads – Remain in Light (1980)
“The Unstoppable One.”

34. (37) 13th Floor Elevators – Easter Everywhere (1967)
“Take the elevator, leave your body behind.”

33. (22) Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue (1977)
“Jeff Lynne kidnapping Brian Wilson, Lennon & McCartney and Ray Davies to party in space.”

32. (*) The Smiths – Strangeways Here We Come (1987)
“Awesome pass from Marr, and accurately finished by Morrisey: The Smiths’ winning goal.”

31. (41) Fleetwood Mac – Bare Trees (1972)
“The album you always have with you, as it can be played at any place at any time of the day.”

RKH:

40. (19) Eagles – Hotel California (1976)
“Arguably the strongest collection of individual songs on this list. The sum isn’t .”

39. (*) Bob Dylan -Blonde on Blonde (1966)
“Dylan’s White Album. Where perfection meets misdirection.”

38. (*) Donald Fagen – The Nightfly (1982)
“Carefully crafted soundtrack for driving around at night. Sunglasses allowed.”

37. (25) The Beatles – Rubber Soul (1965)
“The first glimpse of godhood.”

36. (37) Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman (1970)
“Cat, tell me another of your bittersweet stories about how you’ve clearly lost your way. Also, lighten the f*ck up.”

35. (35) Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
“You’ll sit down and listen while Black Francis forcefully implants his seed into you.”

34. (24) Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand (1994)
“The Black-Francis-seed in full fruition. Two minute songs are lame anyway.”

33. (32) Santana – Abraxas (1970)
“A free trip to a Caribbean island. Involuntary headbobs and hipshakes included.”

32. (22) Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)
” ‘And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.’ “

31. (21) Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow (1967)
“No fear of gazing too long here. Relax and let the summer of love wash over you.”

GF:

40. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar (2006)
“Het nummer Nantes is beter dan Nantes.”

39. Eddie Vedder – Into the Wild (2007)
“Het rustgevende en ingetogene van de natuur.”

38. Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left (1969)
“Bij het uitkomen enkel gesmaakt door de fijnproever, nu op het menu van iedereen die begaan is met muziek.”

37. John Cale – The Island Years (1996)
“Je blijft nog wat wegdromen terwijl de eerste cd na ‘Rollaroll’ geluidloos blijft ronddraaien en dan moet op cd 2 ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ en ‘Guts’ nog komen.”

36. Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball (1995)
“Er staat maar één vrouw in deze lijst, zodat ze met haar warm-omarmende- stem helemaal alleen kan schitteren tussen de doorrookte en ruwe mannenstemmen. “

35. Sigur Rós – Takk… (2005)
“Iets anders, iets dat je bij elke luisterbeurt naar een andere wereld meevoert. ”

34. Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby (1976)
“‘I’m just a gift to the women of this world’ … of hoe je met zelfvertrouwen alles kan doen, maken en zeggen wat je wilt.”

33. Talking Heads – Remain in Light (1980)
“Als je met de fiets ergens heel vlug moet zijn, deze cd op en je trappers kunnen je benen niet volgen.”

32. Paul Simon – Graceland (1986)
“Vakantie, het broodnodige de kofferbak in, de autodeur dicht, Graceland op en weg.”

31. The Beatles – Revolver (1966)
“Teruggetrokken in hun studio, weg van het publiek, enkel maar gemaakt om de muziek.”

 

50 Albums you must hear before you buy a house 3.0

With the end of another year in sight, it’s time to set in an annual tradition by asking albumblog’s music professors the vitally important question: “Which are the best rock albums of all time?”. It’s the third edition since 2012, when GenesisSelling England by the Pound was jointly picked by R.K. Hofmeijer and G. van Zwanendonk as the ultimate best album of all time. Last year they were joined by senior student musicology D. Oude-Kamphuis, resulting in top positions for Kid A, The Velvet Underground & Nico and Band on the Run respectively.

However, DOK didn’t put enough time in his postdoc last year, clearing the way for this year’s senior student Guus Fog to join the action. This is the first part of their contemplation’s result, with #50-41 (GvZ’s & RKH’s last year’s ranking between brackets):

GvZ:

50. (*) Donald Fagen – The Nightfly (1982)
Turning craftsmanship into mastership.”

49. (47) Simon & Garfunkel – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (1966)
The Breakfast Album.”

48. (*) Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Essential postcard of the hanging.”

47. (46) Jefferson Airplane – After Bathing at Baxter’s (1967)
“If you try, you can almost smell 1967.”

46. (*) Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (2011)
Deep in the woods, the dwarfs are gathering around a little folk bar where pixies play the blues.

45. (39) The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground (1969)
Rarely did a band make such an abrupt sound switch without losing a single bit of its quality.

44. (*) The Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree (2005)
There’s gonna be a party when the wolf comes home!

43. (27) The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers (1971)
“Second part of one of rock’s most impressive trilogies.”

42. (38) Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River (1969)
Take me back down where cool water flows.

41. (28) Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Although born in ’85, most of my time on university was spent on air guitaring on ‘Time’.

RKH:

50. (47) Radiohead – The King of Limbs (2011)
Let’s try to redefine modern rock music once more. To be continued.

49. (43) Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
I am Yankee. I shall play you the song of my people.

48. (39) J.J. Cale – Naturally (1972)
Pass me the peace pipe and let me pet the buffalo.

47. (33) Lee Hazlewood – Cowboy in Sweden (1970)
Diary of a psychedelic cowboy.

46. (36) Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
I meant what I sang there. I truly truly did.

45. (26) Panda Bear – Person Pitch (2007)
Brain Wilson’s illegitimate child. Loves sand boxes.

44. (42) Afghan Whigs – Gentlemen (1993)
Greg Dulli thinks you’re a wimp and he’s probably right.

43. (29) Cream – Disraeli Gears (1967)
Pass me the joint and let me pet the dragon.

42. (50) Lambchop – How I Quit Smoking (1996)
I smoke sixteenthousand packs of sigarettes a day. These are my musings.

41. (*) The Byrds – The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
Loose the walrus, perfect the vocal harmonies. That tune is mellow, man

GF:

50. Richard and Linda Thompson – Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
Dit album hoort hoger. Nummer 25 ofzo.

49. Phosphorescent – To Willie (2009)
Vuurvliegen tijdens een zomernacht op the countryside te Lille.

48. Shearwater – Palo Santo (2006)
Pure natuur, gemaakt door een birdwatcher op een onbewoond eiland.

47. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (2008)
Fieest!

46. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (1985)
Herfst, winter, whisky en sigaren!

45. Mogwai – Mogwai Young Team (1997)
Voor iedereen die tijdens de stiltes van ‘Like Herod’ zijn volumeknop nog verder opendraait.

44. Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue (1977)
Barokke plaat, bedacht in de pure Zwitserse Alpen.

43. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River (1969)
De enige muziek waarin ik en mijn vader elkaar vinden.

42. Neil Young – On the Beach (1974)
Mijn favoriete plaat, tot ik gelukkiger werd.

41. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Wie zich herkent in de vrouw van ‘Nature Boy’ mag mij mailen.