This list is getting interesting. I am doing my best to search out sound files of some of the things I have found interesting and then gone to Amazon and started to load up my "cart" with new and used offerings. When I check out this weekend some neat music should be coming my way shortly. Thanks to all. So much music...so little time!

Hola, I'm loving the list, too!

Corinne Bailey Rae strikes me more like Eryka Badu, only an eighth-note less sharp.

I can see Jazzfan thinking India.Aire or Jill Scott.

There's even a couple of cuts that remind me of Joss Stone trying to not be so over-wrought.

It does grow on you with subsequent plays, so I am with Jeff - thumbs up.

I'm also a huge Eno fan, so those discs he mentions are on my essential list, as well!

Eno discs may not hit you the first time, but when you play them again, your brain keeps saying, "Oh, I like this part, then comes..."

Eno is a monumentally important figure in modern music.

Jeff's mention of "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" is maybe the best remaster/reissue I've heard in several years. I had it on last night driving through the vast expanse of Middle Nevada and at 1 a.m. with no illumination other than the headlights, and no sign of civilization as far as the eye could see - perfect.

When I saw Jazzfan's list, I realized there are several there that might have hit my list had I been sitting near the music storage area...

Freedy Johnston's "Can You Fly" and "This Perfect World" are nearly flawless, although I'd switch order of preference with Jazzfan.

The Doctor John and Doc Pomus discs are fine, and are hi-fi demo quality.

I'd also toss in his "In a Sentimental Mood" disc. His duet with Rickie Lee Jones on "Making Whoopie" is startlingly great.

Peter Gabriel in German is enough reason for people to go out and buy a truntable. It's really a great disc.

OK, enough sucking up, time to add a few!

1) Also good for late night listening, Nick Drake's three discs...

Bryter Lyter, Pink Moon, and Five Leaves Left.

They are maddeningly not hi-fi, but they are so good, you can listen right through their sonic deficiencies.

2) John Prine - buy all his discs. His last two, "Fair and Square" and "In Spite of Ourselves," are well recorded gems, but I'd say that "Diamonds in the Rough" and "Sweet Revenge" are the heart of his ouvre.

They are so good...

How good are they?

They are so good, that...In the summer of 1980, when I was between homes (i.e. nomadic creature with no plce to set up my stereo,) I had a car cassette player that jammed - so no tape could go in or out. I had recorded those two albums onto a cassette and it was the lucky stuck-in tape that I spent the entire summer listening to, and I'm still not sick of those records.

3) Please go buy Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark."

4) k.d. Lang's "Songs from the 49th Parallel" is getting under my skin. That disc has versions of "After the Goldrush" and "Helpless" that should make Neil happy to hear.

5) Gotta mention Bruce Cockburn.

I'm a fan, so my opinion is overly biased in favor, but "Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws" or "Charity of Night" might yield a good over-all impression.

There's usually one total clinker on any given disc, but the rest is full of musical nutrition.

Maybe starting with his "Greatest Hits" disc as an audition would do.

Hi again Joe,

First off a very big thank you for finding that one special topic which seems to have united this forum. The print magazine has its "Records 2 Die 4" and Top 10 List and Desert Island Discs have been done to death but have this the Stereophile forum seems to have found their signature list: The LP/CDs you may not have but should List. Sure the name isn't as catchy as R2D4 but so what, it's our name and I like it. I will start a jazz list any day now and hopefully we'll get another started in the classical section as well.

In addition to the normal running commentary on each others selections, I see that people have been adding items to their initial lists, so here's some comments and a few additional items.

Buddha wrote:

Quote:
Corinne Bailey Rae strikes me more like Eryka Badu, only an eighth-note less sharp.

I can see Jazzfan thinking India.Aire or Jill Scott.

I was thinking of adding Eryka to that list of singers but I have this great double CD bootleg of a great Eryka Badu show from Feb. 2004 which proves that Ms Badu doesn't need the studio to work her magic, she's the real deal and she can do it live and in person - without programmed drums.

Quote:
Joseph Holbrooke '65-Derek Bailey, Tony Oxley, and Gavan Bryars invent free improv and you are there!

This is so awesome, Derek Bailey makes the list!! Thank you, Roy, a fellow New Jersey resident I might add.

Now here are a few items I'd like to add, which for some odd reason haven't yet made it onto this wonderful list.

Buddy Miller - Universal United House of Prayer If this release from 2004 flew in under your radar don't let any more time pass before checking this one out. The third track, "Shelter Me", makes a very compelling case for full range speakers, you know the kind with house rattling bass.

Michael Franti - Songs from the Front Porch Franti is usually the lead singer/front man for Spearhead but on this disc he features stripped down versions of some of his best songs and the relaxed feel and pace really work to good effect. Ben Harper gets all the press but Franti could teach him a thing or two or three or four.

Nanci Griffith - Storms Besides being one of her better records this is absolutely demo quality. Why one of those high priced audiophile vinyl reissue houses hasn't done a version of this one is beyond me. Find a vinyl copy and you're in for a real treat. Drop the needle almost anyway and you will be amazed.

Jazzfan, you hit a long ball with the Nanci Griffith title!

Okay, I'm at home now and went digging through my LPs for some more suggestions.

These are mostly lesser known LPs by well known artists.

1) Jeff Beck "Flash" Mr Beck put together a good cast of musicians and singers for this, a good old fashioned rock and roll album. Rod Stewart (while he was still a singer) Jimmy Hall, and Jan Hammer appear. The tracks with Stewart are among the strongest.

2) The Call "Into the Woods." They are not the greatest musicians around, they certainly are without the talent of the previous recommendation but they do straight ahead rock and roll without falling into the trap many bands do, namely when they can't think of anything to write about they go for the sex, drugs and debauchery. The Call still has something to say. The songs In The River and It could Have Been Me are some of the best.

3) Eric Clapton (another virtual unknown) "August" There were times when IMO Mr Clapton lacked direction, this LP was not one of them. I don't think it ever sold well, but it has held up well. Besides the theme song for the movie "The Color of Money (didn't it used to be green?) there are a number of worthwhile tracks.

4) Kansas "Vinyl Confessions" Many of the tracks were written by new singer John Elefante and his wife Dino, Kerry Livgren continues his prolific output with strong and insightful songs. One of the things I've long appreciated about Mr Livgren is his ability to plumb the depths of lifes mysteries without sounding preachy.

The band sound good, not having lost a beat with their new singer. IMO there's just something about using acoustic instruments not normally found in rock and roll that attracts deserved attention.

The band graciously thanks Steve Walsh in the liner notes, the recently departed singer for the ten years he put into the band, helping make them what they were.

5) Daniel Lanois "Acadie" Mr Lanois is best known for his production skills on other peoples LPs. He worked with Steve Lillywhite on several U2 LPs and produced the formerly recommended "Oh Mercy" by Bob Dylan.

The song arangements are sparse and the music is played with talent and emotion. The source of Mr Lanois's inspiration is heard throughout. He could be the poster boy for understated Cajun artistry.

6&7 Steve Tibbits "Yr" or "Safe Journey" are hard to find, but worth the effort. Tibbits is a guitar player of considerable talent. Although he plays the Kalimba and synthesizer too his guitar playing stand out. The LPs are recorded in Minneapolis by what appears to be a Germany company. Both are on ECM Records GmbH. These recordings are from the early eighties but still sound fresh.

I prefer Yr, but I have played these for a number of people who have been in my home for long drawn out tedious listening sessions, and most of them added Tibbits recordings to their list of things to buy.

I had a couple more slip into my brain:

1) Phil Manzanera's "Listen Now."

I like it better than most Roxy Music records (blasphemy.)

Plenty of Eno influences, too.

His solo debut, Diamond Head is good, as well.

2) John Doe's "Forever hasn't Happened Yet."

Killer throughout. On track one he channels not just Jim Morrison, but The Doors in toto.

It's got some good blues lines and plenty of his kind of world weary baritone.

Buddha, Buddha, Buddha -- how right can you be? All three are great additions, especially the Manzeneras in the UK pressings. (BTW, Phil released a "greatest hits" LP, which included the historic tagline: "All songs timed with a DIGITAL watch.")

My 2 cents on some classics not always owned:

1-4) Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova and Trumpe Le Monde - The Pixies. The first two are great, but they all have treats.

5) Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers: Rowdy Electric Blues

6) The Kinks and the Village Green Preservation Society - Recently Remastered

7) Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo - Also done up recently w/ Gram Parsons outtakes.

8-9) Smiley Smile/Wild Honey - the Beach Boys - redone on HDCD, weird records, underrated, uneven post-pet sounds period...

10-11) Let It Be, Tim - The Replacements. The cool REM.

12) Murmer - REM.

13) The Who - Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy. The early singles.

14-15) The Blue Mask, Lengendary Hearts - Lou Reed. Overlooked 80s albums, nice guitar work w/ Quine.

16-17) The Idiot, Lust for Life - Iggy Pop. Bowie collaborations, Eno-ish

18) World Gone Wrong - Bob Dylan. Cool Covers

19-20) Bo Diddley - Chess Box Set . The Man.

I have Listen Now and Diamond Head, but, only in US pressings. My noise art band, Third Uncle, performed "Miss Shapiro" live one time in 1984. However, "Baby's On Fire", "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", "I'll Come Running" (Winkies version), and "Third Uncle" were staples of our set. Occasionally, we'd also play "Here Come the Warm Jets".

We were awful. A record store clerk compared us to Sonic Youth at the time, which we weren't sure was a good thing back in 1983.

Lust for Life is one of my favourite albums of all time. Iggy did a midnight in-store performance at Tower when Skull Ring came out and I had to choose between having my Rhino Handmade 1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions box set signed by Iggy and the Ashtons, or my 1st pressing of Lust for Life. It was a tough choice, but, I opted to have Iggy inscribe my LP. I don't regret it one bit.

Speaking of noise art...

How could I forget one of the ultimate should own but don't records (although I get the feeling you own it already):

21) My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

My 20(ish)
Chris Rea

i should have every single t rex album on vinyl!! but i don't!

& i probably never will!! wah!!
Listen to Life's A Gas (Remastered LP Version) by T. Rex : http://www.napster.com/player/tracks/12901559

Great lists and a few I have never heard of that I will look up soon. Here are mine:

1 Magic Sam - West Side Blues - One of my favorite Blues albums. The guitar playing and high energy are fantastic

2 Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club - The Killer at his best!

3. Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely - A necessity for any fan of music. I would agree with the other Sinatra listings above and add nearly every Capital album to the mix along with a couple from Reprise that were not mentioned.

4 Tony Bennett - Tony Bennett & Bill Evans Album - Fantastic, romantic album

5. Johnny Hartman - John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman - Perfect pairing on this late night classic

6. Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot out the Lights - A diary of an ending relationship.

7. Anything in the RCA Living Stereo SACD collections - These albums are incredible for sound and performance. If I had to pick one, I guess it would be Stokowski's "Rhapsodies" for performance and sound quality.

8. Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol. 8 - Tatum and Ben Webster on this classic album.

9. James Brown - Live at the Apollo 1962 - Energy personified.

10. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 2 - A great Texas swing album.

11. Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska -Under-appreciated stark masterpiece from the Boss.

12. Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City - Influential album by this Memphis based group.

13 Robbie Robertson - Robbie Robertson - Great moody atmosphere by this former "The Band" leader.

14. The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol. 9 (1940-1942) - Billie at her best

15. The Soundtrack of our Lives - Behind the Music - Wonderfully fresh album of from this relatively obscure group from Sweden. Best track "Sister Surround"

16.The Ramones - Rocket to Russia - "Teenage Lobotomy " and more!

17. The Clash - The Clash - Most people have London Calling, but this one is also great!

18 Johnny Cash - Original Sun Singles '55-'58 - Fantastic, early work and available on great sounding vinyl.

19 BB King's Live At The Regal - BB enticing the crowd with his showmanship - 'Sweet Little Angel" is worth the price of admission.

20. Elvis Is Back - This album was a hit back in the day, but it has been released on 180Gram vinyl and sounds fantastic. Most people now have Elvis compilations, but this is one great album in its own right.

Hey, great list, Uofmtiger!

Welcome!

This list is fun and infuriating. You remind me of discs that I think, "D'Oh! I should have listed that!"

The Robbie Robertson and Richard and Linda Thompson, especially.

Both are absolute tour d'forces of great talent!

I think I'll skulk off and make a second list...

"Prisoner in Disguise," Linda Rondstadt, shitkicker extraordinaire in this one. "Gimme a lift, my feet are draggin'/Pick me up and I'll hay yer wagon." Vinyl (Asylum 0698).

This is my first post and I've thought long and hard about what 20 albums I would list without being redundant to every other list you've ever read. As a result, I've limited my picks to ten. There are few that could be considered "audiophile" but each of these should have your toes tapping or your head banging. I'm of course only posting favorites in the Rock genre and maybe I'll post another list of my favorite Jazz, Blues, etc. So here goes:

1)Dada-Puzzle This is the 1992 debut by these guys and these pop gems are full of great riffs, ripe harmonies, alienation and sardonic humor.

2)Sass Jordan-Rats A great rock album from the chick that Van Halen once considered as a replacement for Sammy Hagar (thankfully this never happened). Lot's of solid rockers on this one even if a few are a bit derivative.

3)UFO-Strangers in the Night Michael Schenker and company at their best when these guys were steamrolling the U.S. as an opening act. This is in my opinion one of the best live albums ever cut. The material is smoking and the performances are right on. This album is why so many guitarists list Michael Schenker as a favorite. Check out the masterful riffing on Rock Bottom or the closing solo on Love to Love. I'm gushing.

4)Alice Cooper-Killer The band's fourth album is one of their best. Not just for Cooper fans. This album showcases why this band was turning rock on its ear in 1971.

5)Blood Sweat and Tears The self-titled second album from 1969 was a favorite of my father and I remember marching around the living room coffee table when he would cue this up on his old turntable and turn up his old Wharfedale speakers. Great songs and a great recording.

6)The Rolling Stones-Sticky Fingers If you don't have this one, you just don't like rock and/or roll. Mick Taylor joins the Stones in the midst of their heroin induced depravity which produces one of the greatest rock albums ever. Boogies from start to finish.

7)Deep Purple-Fireball These guys were battling Led Zeppelin for the hard rock crown in 1971 and while this doesn't best Zeppelin's fourth album, it does hold its own. This was also the first album I bought with my own hard-earned allowance money albeit two years after its release. Richie does some finger-picking on this one that still just kills me.

8)Porcupine Tree-In Absentia I've just gotten turned onto this band from the U.K. If you've not heard these guys then you're missing the best progressive rock band of the new millenium. Songs are well structured and melodic so the noodling never gets out of hand. Also a pretty good CD by today's over-compressed pro-tools assembled standards.

9)Bright Eyes-I'm Wide Awake It's Morning Love this one. Great lyrics full of pathos and poetry. This was an Amazon.com recommendation that I took a chance on that just couldn't have worked out better. The recording is a bit hot and thin but everyone for whom I have played this really seems to enjoy it.

10)The Mars Volta-Frances the Mute This won't be everyone's cup of tea. The Mars Volta are noisy and challenging, pulling together a maelstrom of disconsonant notes, beats, chirps, and sound effects into the most weirdly beautiful and disturbing songs. This one also has some wildly swinging dymamics so careful with that amp, Eugene.

I hope I could turn you onto something new and that these discs become some of your new favorites. Enjoy!

If you have a good pressing of Sticky Fingers, vinyl is definitely the way to go for this one although the new CD reissue sounds quite good.

I was reading back through the lists and saw that someone had listed Eleanor McEvoy as being worth a listen. I second that; Early Hours is worth the investment.

Also thought I should add a recommendation for Love Over Gold by Dire Straits. I know a lot of audiophiles have this disc but now one should break it out just to listen to the great music. And if you don't already own it, what are you waiting for?

Quote:
Hey, great list, Uofmtiger!

Thanks, Buddha!

I have Porcupine Tree's "In Absentia" and it is a great sounding album.

I figured everyone already owned "Sticky Fingers". Definitly one of my favorite Stones albums after Exile on Main Street. Moonlight Mile is probably my favorite cut on this album and has gotten so little air play that it still feels original.

I will have to check out the "Rats" album. I have her "Racine" album and like her sound.

Great list!