Two crucial albums for appreciating a band

J GEILS

 

Alice In Chains - Dirt, Jar Of Flies is AIC in a nutshell
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie...
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks, Moondance
Oasis, Pearl Jam, Weezer, Pavement - first 2 albums
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking, Ritual denlo Habitual

 

I love all those FZ albums mentioned. With Zappa, you'd almost have to sort it out by the decade/era/style first... and even then, it would be difficult to point to just two albums from each of those sub-sub-categories. Like George Duke said, Frank was his own genre.

 

it's interesting looking through this.... i think some bands it would be impossible to pick two albums to represent their journey/sounds.
one example would be zappa. with zappa's early mothers stuff you would need at least two albums to cover the diversity. then there is the seventies solo stuff ... and that would probably require at least three albums to cover the diversity ... after that the eighties and nineties would probably be even more difficult.
king crimson would be another ... i see several court + something .... but in reality you would need one of the first three, two of the second four, one of the eighties discs and at least one of the last three to cover their journey/sounds.
interesting to check out what is up here though.

 

Jefferson Airplane: Crown of Creation, After Bathing at Baxters

Rolling Stones: Their Satanic Majesties Request, Let it Bleed

Grateful Dead: Aoxomoxoa, Live/Dead

Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour, White Album

Zappa: We're Only in it for the Money, Apostrophe

Beefheart: Trout Mask Replica, Lick My Decals Off Baby

Sonic Youth: Confusion Is Sex, Daydream Nation

 

Marillion

 

Metallica --Ride The Lighting, Master Of Puppets

 

Blondie: Parallel Lines and Eat to the Beat (but can't forget Autoamerican either)

 

Seconded...

 

The Blues Magoos ----Psychedelic Lollipop, Basic Blues Magoos

 

Van Halen-OU812 & Balance
Rush-A Farewell to Kings & Moving Pictures
David Bowie-Ziggy & Alladin
UFO-Lights Out & Obsession
ELP-Tarkuz & Brain Salad Surgery
Steven Wilson - Hand Cannot Erase & To the Bone
Uriah Heep-Look at Yourself & Demons and Wizards
Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak & Bad Reputation
The Flowerkings-Stardust We Are & Space Revolver

 

Aerosmith:
Toys in the Attic
Rocks

Survivor:
Eye of the Tiger
Vital Signs

The Doors:
S/T
L.A. Woman

Led Zeppelin:
II
IV

Van Halen:
S/T
1984

Journey:
Frontiers
Escape

 

For Zeppelin, I’ve got to go with II and Physical Graffiti.

Gotta have Kashmir represented.

 

Luke Haines:
Now I'm a Cowboy and Off My Rocker...

Depeche Mode
Black Celebration and Ultra

Felt:
It's just impossible; maybe you could do it with five albums

Pet Shop Boys
Either Please and Introspective or Behaviour and Disco

Peter Gabriel
3 and Birdy OST

4AD Records
Doolittle and It'll End in Tears

 

Van Halen - S/T and 5150

 

AC/DC:

Powerage and Flick Of The Swtich

Those two separate the fans from the casuals ;p

 

I like all zappa,s albums too, so picking 2 records is hard because this can change 1 day to the next
Last one i listened to was Lumpy gravy on vinyl (the 2016 bernie grundman reissue)
It sounds nice and quiet

 

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Are You Experienced?

Axis: Bold as Love

 

Gang of Four:

Entertainment

Solid Gold

 

ALICE COOPER - KILLER & BBB

DEEP PURPLE - IN ROCK & MACHINE HEAD

 

Roxy Music - (it was a toss-up between "Stranded" and "Country Life" -197

Stranded (1973)



Avalon (1982)

 

Born To Run
Darkness At The Edge Of Town