I think Johnny is a very tasteful, sombre singer and his voice goes well together with Trane. I imagine a 50s urban cocktail bar everyone I hear it, and it's a nice feeling.
Objectively. To be the best it has to be well recorded and mastered. It has to be that artists best work. It has to connect with a large number of listeners. It has to be an album that has stood the test of time and connected with more than the generation who bought it at release. My own favourite is Born to Run, I love every track and think the song writing is sublime. I am not sure that the production allows it to be at an objective pinnacle. DSOTM is a great shout but it’s a guys album my wife and daughter find it boring. Various other albums are just about perfect imo. Blue, Tapestry, Revolver, What’s Going on and others have been loved by numerous generations of listeners. I will give my vote to Rumours, Polished to perfection, various songwriters and vocalists, super catchy pop songs, massive at the time and has stood the test of time. I’ve tried to be objective and I cannot think of another album more worthy on my criteria.
I maybe need to give it another shot. When I'm in the mood for Coltrane there are so many other goodies I would go to first.
It's not my go to Trane album either but it's perfect for an evening cocktail. The tune Lush Life, especially. And My One And Only Love.
You reach a certain age a realise there is no such thing. I mean how can you pick just one? I do not like doing favourites lists as my tastes change depending on my mood, even the time of year. Curious to know if compiling lists is a male thing, I’m betting women don’t compile favourite/best/whatever lists nearly as much.
Achtung Baby Mainstream yet alternative. Diverse melting pot of Rock / Pop influences. Great lyrics. Fun , Sexy , Dark , Melancholy. Some giddier U2 fans think U2 reinvented the wheel with this album. Obviously, they didn’t. Other albums released in 1991 include Loveless , Screamadelica, Nevermind & Blue Lines. These albums were far more revolutionary, but Achtung Baby has something for everyone. U2 are probably the most divisive musical act ever, but this album is unimpeachable.
My wife is good at to compiling "to do" lists (for me). Although neither of us enjoy it all that much. More seriously, I suspect you may well be right, and if you forgive the stereotype, the distinction perhaps is that {a certain type of} male focuses on useless but enjoyable lists ... [Note - intended as tongue in cheek and not casual sexism]
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On An artist at his very peak, the songs are all brilliant and the playing and arrangements beautiful. Plus it all flows together like one great big suite. 99% of albums pale in comparison. The suite thing gives it more gravitas. I don't automatically think an album has to have this to be the best, I mean London Calling is all over the place but is perfect as well, but at the very highest level it just tips the balance. Plus it has something to say and is important from a historical cultural point of view. Not that that's a deal breaker but if it's still relevant after 40 years it has to be pretty special.
Appeals to objectivity in art are redundant: all perceived standards come out of specific societal conditions. Subjectivity forever.
Agree 100%, albeit you CAN (and do) have "critical consensus" a.k.a. the canon in literature (and indeed in popular music ... from which pretty much most of the suggestions here are from ...)
...or The Yes Album - not as perfect, not as polished (which is good), but my go to Yes album these days.
I love What's Going On, I listen to it every year when I put up my Christmas tree. But there are some padded / filler sections on it on side two.
(in a jeff foxworthy voice): if you're watching a dumpster fire while eating popcorn....YOU MIGHT JUST BE AN ARSONIST!
I came here to post this. It has everything: visceral rock, tender ballads, trad blues, gutbucket soul, dark drug tunes...every song a total jam.
The qualifications for such a question are too objective, because things like albums sales don't necessarily mean it's good, just popular (though lots of tops sellers are definitely fantastic). So, for me, I'm going to provide my favorite album of all time, and even though countless others may be performed or produced or written better, they don't hit me on the same personal level. So, without further ado, I'm saying REM's debut Murmur. While influences can certainly be heard here and there, there's no other album (to my knowledge) that sounds exactly like this by them or anyone else, and I believe that while it was purposefully made to sound unique in a time when music was definitely in flux and lots of artists were going for that, it (mostly) transcends its time and therefore becomes timeless.