I was just checking out the forum while I was downloading some songs, and I thought of another fluff thread, so here goes.

 

What is your favorite CD (s)

Hopefully we can turn each other on to some music we may not know is out there

 

Well, I cant decide on just one, so here are my 2 favorites....

 

1. Trace, by Son Volt.

    Son Volt is a band started when Uncle Tupelo broke up into Son Volt and Wilco.  It is Americana Rock, steel guitars and what not.  There is some really beautiful songwriting on this album.

 

2. Blue, Joni Mitchell

    If you like singer songwriters and you have not heard this CD go out and buy it.  If you do not like it, I will buy it off of you.

 

So what do y'all like?

David Gray " A century ends"

 

Robert Randolph and the family band  "Unclassified"

One CD?!

I only got 270 to choose from (my own collection).

 

Junior Kimbrough - All Night Long (1995, Fat Possum Records) Passed away in 1997, but played his "trance" blues around Tupolo, Miss for 50 years.  You can use "All Night Long" to relax or dance to.

 

CC Adcock - HouseRocker/Eponmous (1994, Island Records) Originally released in 1994, has been re-released as HouseRocker since then.  Dirty guitar funk and some witty lyrics (song Kissin' Kouzans contains the chorus line of "Good country loving!"). A wonderful collection of rocking tunes.

 

Tab Benoit - Wetlands (2002 Telarc Records) Louisiana Swamp blues.  More straight up blues than fellow Louisianan CC Adcock (see above), includes covers of "I Got Loaded" (1950s drinking song) and Dog Hill (originally a zydeco song, done up on this record as some Louisiana guitar funk).  Ironicly, one of the bar bands in Columbus does a cover of Tab Benoit's Let Love Take Control.

 

Honorable mentions to Teeny Tucker's First Class Woman, Buddy Guy's Sweat Tea, Billy Bragg & Wilco covering Woody Gutherie (Mermaid Ave) and any Foo Fighters disk.

 

Oddly enough I probably would put "Trace" in my top 10. 

 

Others that I like...

 

"Fishermans Blues" by the Waterboys

 

"No More Forever" or "A Different Kind of Love Song"...Apolitical or Political Dick Gaughan, depending on my mood.

 

"Liege & Lief" by Fairport Convention

 

...oh..well...hmmm....

 

"Greatful Dead Europe '72"

 

"Gillian Welch, Soul Journey"

 

"Lonesome River Band, One Step Forward".

 

"Richard Buckner, Since"

 

"Blue Highway, Still Climbing Mountains"

 

...and for a SW Ohio local color, Dave Evans..take yr pick...Greatest Hits is pretty good, but I like his "Highway 52 song" from his Dave Evans & Riverbend compilation....

 

"From the old Queen City/

To New Boston Town/

Ironton & Old Hanging Rock/

I've been to every town/

I've played every stage/

Travellin' out on Highway 52"

(or something like that)

 

"Dave Evans and Riverbend will be live in concert on Saturday, March 5, 2005 at Bobby Mackey's Music World at 44 Licking Pike in Wilder, KY 41071. Doors open at 6:00pm and the show starts at 7:00pm. Tickets are $10 at the door."

A friend of mine asked me for my "Top 10" list once and this is how I responded . . .

 

1. “Tomorrow the Green Grass” (1994) The Jayhawks 

It is actually hard for me to pick a favorite as I can really find a flaw with many of my CDs – generally those couple songs that I don’t really like.  But this album to me is a classic.  Maybe not the best in terms of total content but it contains one of my all-time favorite songs ‘Blue’ and the best liner notes ever.  With comments like, “These songs . . . wanna crawl in your closet and live with you till next fall,” how could you not want to listen? 

 

2. “This Side” (2002) Nickel Creek 

The sophomore major label release from this alt-country/bluegrass band is definitely a new favorite.  The song writing on a few of the songs and the instrumentation of the fiddle, guitar, and mandolin by these young artists is amazing.  In addition, this choice also is a Grammy winner for ‘Best Contemporary Folk Album’ so critical praise is not something this CD is lacking.  Stand out song for me is the title track, ‘This Side’.

 

3. “End of the Silence” (1992) Rollins Band 

Henry Rollins speaks to me personally with ‘Low Self Opinion’ and gave me my anthem.  His rather loud vocal styling is what I want when I need to kick out the jams.  (He doesn’t call himself a singer but rather a vocalist.)  The follow-up album, 1994’s “Weight”, is good with songs like ‘Liar’ but it was here where I was really introduced to the sound and raw sexuality of the artist Henry Rollins.

 

4. “Greatest Hits” (2000) Tim McGraw 

Is a greatest hits CD cheating?  Well, I don’t think so.  Someone once said that artists who generally don’t write their own material generally do not produce strong albums overall.  In a singles driven market you don’t get a CD with real consistency.  So labels release these “Greatest Hits” collections to package the best stuff but then to sell more albums.  And while he doesn’t write his own material, there is something compelling about Tim’s vocal styling and of course he’s hot (but for hot country guy see Chris Cagle).  A few of the songs have been chosen by CMT to be in the Top 100 Country Songs of all time but my favorite is ‘It’s Your Love’, a duet with wife Faith Hill.

 

5. “Weezer” (1994) Weezer

So the Garage/Grunge-Pop sound, typical of bands like Cake (1996’s “Fashion Nugget”) and They Might Be Giants (1990’s “Flood”) is a favorite of mine.  It’s fun, light, but clever and quick.  Weezer is the quintessential band of this genre and this album is nearly perfect in collection of tunes.  While there were more popular songs on this album like ‘Buddy Holly’, I’m partial to ‘Surf Wax America’. 

 

6. “Social Distortion” (1990) Social Distortion

There was a whole phase of post-punk rock during my college years that while included Rollins Band also consisted of bands like Green Day (“Dookie” – 1994), The Offspring (“Smash” – 1994), and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (“Don’t Know How To Party” – 1993).  I was drawn to the horns and brass of the Bosstones but there is something about Mike Ness and ‘Social D’ that makes me choose this album over all the others.  ‘Story of My Life’ is a classic early ‘90’s anthem.

 

7. “Wide Open Spaces” (1998) Dixie Chicks

The Chicks have won much praise for this their first album but also for their second album “Fly” which is also very good.  Grammy and ACM winners that include Nathalie Maine’s distinctive voice but songs where the women play all their own instruments.  It is for me a nice blend of modern and traditional country.  The title track is probably my favorite and but for a country album it is pretty good as a whole.

 

8. “Mental Jewelry” (1991) Live 

There is a bit of controversy on which Live album is ‘The Best’.  Many say 1995’s “Throwing Cooper” is better but I guess I have more of a connection to this their first album and it is my choice for favorite and best.  The first three songs are flawless . . . and I never say flawless. 

 

9. “Essential Pogues” (1991) The Pogues

I happen to like ‘Celtic Rock’ typical of bands like The Pogues and Black 47.  “Essentials” is basically a best of CD but it is the only studio album I can find that has one of may favorite songs, ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’.  And yeah, that is the title of the rockin’ tune

 

10. “No Strings Attached” (2000) N’Sync

Ok, once I came out and started going to dance bars, I did listen to some pure pop like The Backstreet Boys (1999’s “Millennium”) and Brittney.  They define the turn of the century for me.  But I think this release from N’Sync is one of the best overall efforts with two really good songs – ‘Bye Bye Bye’ and ‘It’s Gonna Be Me’.  They always get me singing along . . .

 

^Wow, you had me until #10, then WOW WTF???  ;-)

 

You may be the only person on the planet who listens to both Rollins band and N*SYNC

 

Yeah, man, talk about extremes.

Hey now, I like Kylie Minogue (bubblegum-techno-pop) and Ministry (rage-filled anthems for the apocalypse)!  :-D

 

Favorite CD? Out of 500??? Can't do it.

My CD collection sucks since my 200+ cd's got stolen a couple years ago.  I really haven't had the heart or money to rebuild.  I can't name a favorite, or favorites, necessarily.  Lately I've been listening to the Pixies best of- "Wave of Mutilation" alot as well as Radiohead "OK Computer" and a few discs by Modest Mouse and "Send us a Signal" by Brandston.  "Source Tags and Codes" by the wonderfully named ....And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead is another regular in my crappy car discman.  I need to get there latest album.  And a car CD player.

Hey now, I like Kylie Minogue (bubblegum-techno-pop) and Ministry (rage-filled anthems for the apocalypse)! :-D

 

Go back far enough in Ministry's catalog and the two a lot closer than most would believe.

^Oh believe me, I know - to think they went from 'Everyday is Halloween' to 'So What', 'Just One Fix', and 'Jesus Built My Hotrod'. I prefer their early to late 90s stuff - their newer work didn't do much for me. 1992. Lollapalooza at Star Lake Amphitheater near Pittsburgh. Ministry. At sundown - ahhh the memories  :-D

^  I saw that same Lollapalooza tour here in Cincy.  That was a great lineup.

Personally I like Kanye West's "College Dropout" and My OAR cd...it's a mix of both of their main releases.

Max Graham - Transport, and Tall Paul - Mixed Live @ Giant LA

^Wow, you had me until #10, then WOW WTF???  ;-)

 

You may be the only person on the planet who listens to both Rollins band and N*SYNC

 

 

I admit it is a little odd but I like a variety . . .

Hum rocks!  "You'd Prefer an Astronaut" and "Downward is Heavenward" are two of my favorite albums of all time.

Parachutes > COLDPLAY

A Rush of Blood to the Head > COLDPLAY

X & Y > COLDPLAY

.....rock/alternative/indie

 

Page Avenue > STORY OF THE YEAR

In the Wake of Determination > STORY OF THE YEAR

.....rock/emo

Since we are saying CDs this doesn't necessarily reflect favorite artists.

 

There are only 2 CDs in which I can stand every single song:

 

Moving Pictures-Rush  1982?

The Second Stage Turbine Blade-Coheed and Cambria  2005?

Here are the 10 CD's in rotation that I am currently listening to in my car:

 

si*se - More Shine

http://www.sisenyc.com/

 

Matisyahu

http://www.hasidicreggae.com/

 

Plans - Death Cab for Cutie

http://www.deathcabforcutie.com/

 

Linkin Park - Meteora

http://www.linkinpark.com

 

Linkin Park & Jay-Z - Collision Course

http://www.lpjz.com/

 

Helicopter Girl

http://www.helicoptergirl.com/

 

Sublime

http://sublimespot.com

 

BT - Emotional Technology

 

R. Kelly

http://www.r-kelly.com

 

The Killers - Hot Fuss

http://www.thekillers.co.uk/specialedition/

Lately, my favorite CDs have included the following:

 

The White Stripes - "White Blood Cells" and "Get Behind Me Satan"

Franz Ferdinand - "Franz Ferdinand"

anything by They Might Be Giants

 

I'll listen to almost anything except country or hip hop.  I have over 500 CDs, and they include everything from alternative, rock, big band, musical soundtracks, and Disney music.

REM's Out of Time.  It was one of the first CDs I purchased, and still one of my favorites.

 

I recently got a hold of a greatest hits Guide By Voices which I'm really enjoying at the moment.

I guess my favorite CD is the last I played.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi by REM (side note, I can't believe it's been 10 years since REM put out a good record)

 

My newest project, to keep me from working on my thesis, is converting my cassette collection to digital.

I only have 150 cassettes (radio collections and store boughts) to go through  :-o (actually 15 down, 135 more to go)

Pearl, by Janis Joplin

 

but it is on vinyl, not cd...

Films About Ghosts - Counting Crows

Daggone near anything released by Fat Possum records

Monster on a Leash... Tower of Power (great funk band)

 

1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert .... Benny Goodman (a masterpiece with an All-Star big band)

 

Possibilities .... Herbie Hancock & Various Artists (Joss Stone & Johnny Lang doing "When Love Comes To Town" is absolutely an ass-kicker)

Automatic for the People  REM

 

Born to Run  Bruce Springsteen

 

Bachata Rosa  Juan Luis Guerra

 

OK Computer  Radiohead

 

Estos Dias  Illapu

Currently, the CD's gettin the most play in my collection are:

 

- Common: Be

- Anthony Hamilton: Comin From Where I'm From (I'm surprised this one hasn't started skipping as much as I play it)

My current rotation:

 

Billy Joel - The Stranger (1977)

Billy Joel - An Innocent Man (1982)

Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973)

The Beatles - 1s

Gavin DeGraw - Chariot (2005)

The Killers - Hot Fuss (2005)

U2 - Rattle and Hum (1988)

Chicago Greatest Hits

Rob Thomas - This Is How A Heart Breaks (2005)

... and queued up for every time I drive by Busch Stadium in STL ...

Blessid Union of Souls - Play Ball (the Reds tribute CD sold at Great American Ball Park in 2003)

 

But I think the best album of all time is a tie between Billy Joel - The Stranger (1977) and Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973) ... Grammy Legends