1 post tagged “timeless albums”

What are some of your favorite, forgotten albums that have stood the test of time?
Submitted by PeterGibbons.

Well, of course I'll actually do this question. Like Elaine, I'll do a top 5.

1. Nirvana - In Utero

Anytime I listen to Nirvana, it just makes me happy. Everyone always says that Nirvana are overrated crap, over played, and not even that good. In my opinion, they must not have ever liked Nirvana to begin with. Nirvana is the band I used to listen to ALL the time when I was in high school. Today I don't listen to them nearly as much. They're lost in the piles of CD's, resurfacing every so often to remind me just how good they are. Sure, they are overplayed, the same 5 songs from Nevermind on the radio every day. Sure, I've gotten older, and my musical tastes have grown and expanded. But it feels like Nirvana are getting it too harsh. Put any song on at a party and watch as everyone enjoys the nostalgia and sings along to every word. Next time you get the chance, put Nevermind on and you'll have the time of your life, singing along to every song no matter how long ago you listened to it; however, if you dig a little deeper, you'll find that In Utero is such an underrated album, filled with great songs that you don't hear often even on the radio. This one was always my favorite. Especially Rape Me, which has to be one of the greatest Nirvana songs ever.

2. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine

Nearly half the songs on this album are still to this day considered classic. Head Like a Hole is one of those classic anthemic sing-a-longs that isn't as overplayed as it should be. Many often forget that this album was done in 1989, and when you listen to it now it still has that late 80's/ early 90's production which ends up making the album sound like something more in league with new wave bands of the 80's like Depeche Mode or New Order. What really makes this album so good is Trent Reznor's youthful energy on this (his first record). Or maybe the solid song structure and dense synth parts over barely audible guitar. Or even better, it's that the album is just so straight forward. I'm a fan of other NIN material like The Fragile or Downward Spiral, but on this, there's just a sense of excitement in creating something new rather than expand on what was already created. If it is any testament, even to this day, these songs bring out the most energy in the fans and the band itself when played live.

3. Green Day - Dookie

I didn't want to use this album, because let's face it, everyone has this album. It's like the Frampton Comes Alive of the 90's "Everyone in the world has Frampton Comes Alive, if you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of tide." (If you name the movie, you get a cookie). For that alone, it deserves a spot on here. I've always claimed Green Day to be the Beatles of my generation. When I popped the CD in for a revisit, my speakers boomed with catchy pop-punk songs that are catchier than anything a single fall out boy could play. Every single song on this record flows together the way an album full of songs should, and every single song on this record is just as amazing as the others. With all the success Green Day has had in recent years, it's a relief to hear the young, "lets have a blast and play some punk songs" band that Green Day started as.

4. Red Hot Chili Peppers -  By The Way

I remember when this CD came out I was only really a Chili Peppers fan through the radio. I did have Blood Sugar Sex Magic and One Hot Minute. I bought this one maybe a year or so after it was released. There are so many songs on this album that it's hard to get into. It's dense. It still wasn't until recently, late last year to be exact, that I discovered the brilliance of guitarist John Frusciante. Since then he has become so influential that my own personal music playing has grown in scope from it's grunge-based, downbeat, acoustic ballads. It's with this new appreciation for Frusciante and the Peppers as a group that has this album in here. As I said, it's such a long and dense album that it's hard to get into, but when you sit and listen, Frusciante's brilliance both in guitar and vocals shine through in every song, only to be bettered by their latest Stadium Arcadium (Go get it if you haven't already, it's amazing).

5. Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings

Something a little different. Johnson was one of the more interesting early delta blues musician. In his short life he only recorded 29 songs. There are multiple versions of these, but only the best versions are essential. As a big fan of delta blues, Johnson is by far my favorite. The man who suposedly sold his soul to the devil on the crossroads to play guitar better. His songs are beautiful in a pained kind of way. You can hear his torment. I always enjoy putting Johnson's music on any sort of list, as a way of recomending something completely different from the standard fare of today's musical trends and what most people listen to. Remember,  rock & roll started with  musicians like Robert Johnson.