What's your favorite Joan Armatrading album?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by driverdrummer, May 26, 2015.

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  1. driverdrummer

    driverdrummer Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Irmo, SC
    I listened to her music for the first time today. I love her music! My favorite album of hers is Walk Under Ladders-a solid album of cool New Wave tunes. I love this song too:
     
  2. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    Her third album, Joan Armatrading; I was hooked from the first time I heard "Water With the Wine".
     
  3. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    I've got them all, but S/T is probably my favourite
     
  4. micksmuse

    micksmuse Forum Resident

    Location:
    san diego
    show some emotion but by all means please checkout her latest "starlight" it is very jazz oriented style wise but classic joan and she plays every instrument and does some of the best drum programming i have ever heard.
     
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  5. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    I have to agree
     
  6. JL6161

    JL6161 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    Wow, tough choice. Probably Walk Under Ladders, but they all have lovely material. "Down to Zero" in particular is such a great song.
     
  7. DJ LX

    DJ LX Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison WI

    The Key
     
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  8. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    Self-titled third album for me, but I really like Show Some Emotion too (those mid '70s Glyn Johns produced albums are also some of the best sounding rock records around). I also love the Steppin' Out live album from that era. There was also an early radio broadcast live set distributed on LP to radio stations that I have that I love. Really liked the How Cruel EP too but can't seem to locate my copy. Always like Back to the Night too -- some of my favorite material even if the production isn't quite up to snuff compared to the stuff that was to come.
     
  9. driverdrummer

    driverdrummer Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Irmo, SC
    Her albums sound so good!
     
  10. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Seems a lot of us prefer her rock/new wave period. The Key is my favorite too.
     
  11. realgone

    realgone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Singapore
    Favorites are the S/T and Show Some Emotion. Good sounding too.
     
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  12. halfjapanese

    halfjapanese Gifs moider!

    My knee jerk reaction last year would have been Ladders. Then I spun it for the first time in ages and it sounded locked in the 80s. So S/T for me.
     
  13. mwheelerk

    mwheelerk Sorry, I can't talk now, I'm listening to music...

    Location:
    Gilbert Arizona
    Self titled and Show Some Emotion. It's a toss up depending on what year it is or mood I'm in.
     
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  14. Elton

    Elton I Hope Being Helpful, Will Make Me Look Cool

    Location:
    Carson Ca.
    Me Myself I, Secret Secret, my favorite song is Love By You of hers, and Joe Jackson on piano is great!
     
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  15. Picca

    Picca Forum Resident

    Location:
    Modena, Italy
    Walk Under Ladders & The Key. Loved them in the eighties. I saw her live and she was wonderful.
     
  16. Alan2

    Alan2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I'm not familiar with many of her albums. I'v e had the S/T LP a long time, but recently got the CD reissue of Whatever's for Us. (Esoteric). It' doesn't make a great impression, but may need more plays.
     
  17. Dhreview16

    Dhreview16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    I have the following on vinyl:

    Joan Armatrading
    Me myself I
    The key
    Walk under ladders

    Joan Armatrading
    is the best for me, over Me Myself I.

    Down to zero
    Water With the wine
    Save Me
    Tall in the saddle, and of course
    Love and Affection.

    Glyn Johns production at Olympic..

    35 years or so on, the vinyl for all of them still sounds great.
     
  18. FangfossFlyer

    FangfossFlyer Forum Resident

    Location:
    York, U.K.
    "Whatever's For Us" - her first LP back in 1972 with Pam Nestor.

    Richard
     
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  19. elgreco

    elgreco Groove Meister

    Probably Show some emotion and the s/t 1976 album. But I also have a soft spot for To the limit and a more recent outing called Lovers speak. Not familiar with most of her more recent work though. It appears to have a much bluesier sound.

    And that peculiar How cruel EP (4 songs on one side of a 12" record) is terrific too, but I don't consider that an album.

    I agree that most of the 70s output also has great SQ - detailed yet punchy.
     
  20. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Still think the Self Titled is best but Show Some Emotion is a close second. Also like the first album with Pam Nestor.

    These are really well recorded (two by the great Glyn Johns). I find the later 'hit' albums hamstrung by 80s production style. Not listened to her more recent work at all though I have read critical praise for her last couple of releases.
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2015
  21. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    One of my wife's favourite albums. To be honest, it's the only Joan Armatrading that I've heard in any depth, so I don't think I get a vote, but it's a great (and overlooked) album which sounds very unlike (what I've heard of) her later work.
     
  22. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    Yeah, seems that way. She kind of lost me at that point. Saw her a couple of times in the late '70s and early '80 through the tour behind Walk Under Ladders, but The Key wound up being the last Armatrading album I purchased for many years. A year or so ago I went through some of her most recent work, and it didn't really knock me out....it's still the '75-'79 that I like best and return to as a listener.
     
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  23. Luxury_Liner

    Luxury_Liner Senior Member

    Location:
    Paradise City
    I pretty much like everything from the first album up to The Key (1983) but if I had to pick a favorite that'd be Me Myself I. I found that LP in my dad's record collection which I confiscated some years ago. I played it out of curiosity and loved the heck out of it.
     
  24. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    Just thinking about this song:

    "Mercy Mama" - Joan Armatrading, from Show Some Emotion, keyboards by Georgie Fame (I think...possibly).
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2015
  25. Baron Von Talbot

    Baron Von Talbot Well-Known Member

    TO THE LIMIT was my first JA record and I loved it and played it countless times, picked up Show some emotion later and that is arguably even better and the CD version sounds AMAZING - audiophile jewel and a must have - so it depends - now I vote SSE but before I'd say To The Limit. Best love songs this side of the pond .. Only Marvin + Diana or Barry White are even more touching.
     
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