"Perfect" Albums

[bill g]

Oddly enough I can't name one. Selling England I think would be a perfect album for me, except for 'More Fool Me'. Wind & Wuthering is close too, but honestly I don't find Phil's voice strong enough to merit perfection. Gentle Giant too will have much of an album perfect, but ruined by a less than perfect track. Its not that I don't adore a vast myriad of albums, but I won't call any of them perfect. Honestly there is one that I might choose in thinking about it, and that is 'Six' by Tony Banks. For what it is I think it is the most 'perfect', in that there is nothing I don't think I'd change, the composition and even the track order is perfection. It may not be my favorite album ever, but it is the most perfect.

Oh, not nearly my favorite, but for what it is, Mike Oldfield's 'Amarok' might also merit the distinction.

[mogrooves]

Groundhogs ~ Split
Captain Beyond ~ s/t
MC5 ~ Kick Out The Jams
Stooges ~ Fun House
Hendrix ~ RUX? (US release)
GG ~ Three Friends
Popol Vuh ~ Hosiana Mantra
Genesis ~ Foxtrot
Peter Hammill ~ Chameleon......

The Move - Message from the Country

"My Marge", "Ben Crawley Steel Co.", and "Don't Mess Me Up" put this in the less-than-perfect category. I'll go with Shazam.....

[Adrian]

Seems like this is becoming a favorite albums list. Even my all-time favorite (SPLHCB) isn't perfect, IMO. Didn't realize there was so much perfection in the world. Even "DSotM," IMO, isn't perfect because of "Any Colour Your like," which is essentially filler.

Kind of the way I feel every time this topic comes up -- either others have a loose definition of "perfect," or my definition is too stringent. I can't think of a single album where I wouldn't change something. Even though I find no fault with the music on Close to the Edge, even there I would have reversed the running order of the songs.

[R. Totale III]

"My Marge", "Ben Crawley Steel Co.", and "Don't Mess Me Up" put this in the less-than-perfect category. I'll go with Shazam.....

Nope, I love 'em all and wouldn't change a thing. Shazam's great, but Cherry Blossom goes on too long.

[jake]

Seems like this is becoming a favorite albums list. Even my all-time favorite (SPLHCB) isn't perfect, IMO. Didn't realize there was so much perfection in the world. Even "DSotM," IMO, isn't perfect because of "Any Colour Your like," which is essentially filler.

I would add "Songs from the Wood" to the list, though.

Kind of the way I feel every time this topic comes up -- either others have a loose definition of "perfect," or my definition is too stringent. I can't think of a single album where I wouldn't change something. Even though I find no fault with the music on Close to the Edge, even there I would have reversed the running order of the songs.

Not sure I agree - e.g. XTC is probably my favourite band of all time but I can't think of a single album of theirs that does not have some flller tracks.

[mozo-pg]

Genesis - Trick of the Tail
Beatles - Revolver
Yes - Close to the Edge
Ecolyn - Mei
Pink Floyd - Animals
Le Orme - Felona and Serona
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Many, many, more

[davis]

Golden Earring: Moontan (US version), Eight Miles High, Mad Love

[ronmac]

Not sure I agree - e.g. XTC is probably my favourite band of all time but I can't think of a single album of theirs that does not have some flller tracks.

Seems to me that you do agree that perfection is touted far too often.

We are, after all, imperfect beings in an imperfect world trying to achieve perfection.

[Bartholomew_of_DIS]

Ecolyn - Mei

I like the production on Mei very much, and overall it's pretty listenable for a 50 minute single track. Overall, I loved As The World better as far as writing/arranging/performance, but the production was a bit wussy, especially the keyboard sounds. If As The World would have been recorded with the instrument sounds from Mei, it would have been an absolute masterpiece.

[Rickenbacker]

: Oh man Relax, people! It's simple: What albums are perfect *to you*? Screw anyone else's definition.

[Rufus]

I really shud give Mei another chance cos i just coulnt get into it?

[ProgUK]

Mahavishnu-Birds of fire
UK-UK
Bruford-One of a kind
Jellyfish-Spilt Milk
RTF-Romantic warrior
Santana-caravanserai
Supertramp-Crime of the century
Weather Report-Black Market & Heavy Weather
Floyd-WYWH
Genesis-Trick of the Tail
Yes-CTTE
Steely Dan-Royal Scam & Aja
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Tears For Fears-Sowing the seeds of Love

[BravadoNJ]

Brother Where You Bound- Supertramp
News Of The World- Queen
Synchronicity- The Police
Asia
The Joshua Tree- U2
Presence- Led Zeppelin

[strawberrybrick]

I think of perfect as not a single week track, the notes fit perfectly together, etc...

Supertramp - Crime of the Century

That's my choice. Glad to see it up here!

Wire - Pink Flag

Yep, that too

Not sure I agree - e.g. XTC is probably my favourite band of all time but I can't think of a single album of theirs that does not have some flller tracks.

Completely agree.

Also, I'd add

Family - Bandstand
The Pretty Things - Parachute

[YeSFan Reese]

Led zeppelin- physical Graffiti Utopia-Todd Rundgrens Utopia

[ronmac]

See, I would find it difficult to include any Zeppelin, because the original productions were always so crappy, except the first one, IMO.

[trurl]

See, I would find it difficult to include any Zeppelin, because the original productions were always so crappy, except the first one, IMO.

For me even the very best Zep albums have filler. I suppose it's part of their charm and I wouldn't change them but none of them are quite "perfect".

[East New York]

Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus
A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

Oh yes

Three of the best in all genres, IMHO.

Great picks....I'll add

Art Ensemble of Chicago-People In Sorrow
Jimmy Giuffre 3-1961
Ornette Coleman-Crisis

Indeed!

AFWSFWF - Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays

Oh, that is one. I would go with the PMG self titled album as well. There's a lot in the realm of jazz; I can't argue with Kind Of Blue either.

All the way with the PMG self-titled album...I've got a soft spot for most of the PMG catalog, as well as for Lyle's solo stuff!

[No Pride]

All the way with the PMG self-titled album...I've got a soft spot for most of the PMG catalog, as well as for Lyle's solo stuff!

Lyle's first solo album in particular is killer! I never tire of "Highland Aire!"

BTW, I play in a band with Danny Gottlieb. He has some mixed feelings about Pat. To quote Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."

[No Pride]

XTC is probably my favourite band of all time but I can't think of a single album of theirs that does not have some flller tracks.

At least within the realm of "pop" related music, they're my favorite too. And I agree with you; there's not one XTC album on which I don't skip at least one track.

[trurl]

BTW, I play in a band with Danny Gottlieb.

Wow- in the words of Ali G., "Respect."

[East New York]

Lyle's first solo album in particular is killer! I never tire of "Highland Aire!"

It's lovely! My favorite is "Teiko".

BTW, I play in a band with Danny Gottlieb.

:::immediately starts kowtowing::: I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!!!

He has some mixed feelings about Pat. To quote Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."

I believe it...which is why although I've met Pat (and Lyle) briefly, I'd never want it to go farther than that. One of the more unpleasant moments of my life was meeting some musical heroes I'd adored since I was ten years old.

[No Pride]

Wow- in the words of Ali G., "Respect."

It's lovely! My favorite is "Teiko".

:::immediately starts kowtowing::: I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!!!

Well, don't be too impressed, it's just a pop/rock cover band, even if it is sort of a high profile one:
www.ltdanband.com
Our best kept secret is that it's a really good jazz band masquerading as a rock/pop cover band. Sometimes we do some pretty cool jams at soundcheck, but I guess that stuff isn't for public consumption. There's been talk about (a portion of the band) doing jazz gigs and/or making an album, but I think that's destined to be one of those well intentioned "we really should" discussions that never comes to fruition. Oh well!

[Trane]

My Gnosis 15's, perfect to me,

In my eight years of Gnosis, I've yet to use the 15 rating...

Not just because I don't think perfection is possible, but even the most loved albums of mine have some weaker moments (like Drealzer or If Everyone in COTC, or Love To Love You in G&P, Indistrial Disease in LOV or Street Worm in 12 Dreams)...
even in legendary jazz albums, there are alwxays moments where I'd have done differently had I been producer or composer...

[Trane]

Seems like this is becoming a favorite albums list. Even my all-time favorite (SPLHCB) isn't perfect, IMO. Didn't realize there was so much perfection in the world. Even "DSotM," IMO, isn't perfect because of "Any Colour Your like," which is essentially filler.

Kind of the way I feel every time this topic comes up -- either others have a loose definition of "perfect," or my definition is too stringent. I can't think of a single album where I wouldn't change something. Even though I find no fault with the music on Close to the Edge, even there I would have reversed the running order of the songs.

Yeah, I can't help but agreeing with both of you (and with Adrian, on top of that!!! )

When I see extended lists of albums (especially on page 2 of this thread), I ether think those poster might want to look up perfection in the dictionary, or maybe buy themselves a solid dose of discernement... In eithe case, it's not a permanent aiment... a dictionary comes cheap and disqcernement can be acquired with some kind of quality-demanding attitude ...

Not sure I agree - e.g. XTC is probably my favourite band of all time but I can't think of a single album of theirs that does not have some flller tracks.

Then you agree with them.... If XTC has a few fillers in every album of theirs, then they don't have a perfect album.... And you gree with them....