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 Genesis‘ Selling 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.“
