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.”
