Payn's Ponderings... Top 10 Essential Albums


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I'm from a different generation than many on ENWorld, so my stuff is often much more recent. This is also probably not an accurate list, but it's what is coming to my mind right now:
  • Archipelago, by Hidden Orchestra
  • Lifa, by Heilung
  • The Joy of Motion, by Animals as Leaders
  • AM, by Arctic Monkeys
  • Metropolis, by Dream Theater.
  • The World Within, by Moderator
  • Ghost Reverie, by Opeth
  • Californication, by Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • La Grande Messe, by Les Cowboy Fringants
  • From Mars to Sirius, by Gojira.
 

I just heard Pink Floyd is getting together to record a song for Ukraine right now.
Well, half of Pink Floyd - or 2/5ths of Pink Floyd, depending on how you look at it.
IMO, Pink Floyd's not Pink Floyd without Roger Waters. And if you can't get him, you at least need Seamus the dog.
 

Well, half of Pink Floyd - or 2/5ths of Pink Floyd, depending on how you look at it.
IMO, Pink Floyd's not Pink Floyd without Roger Waters. And if you can't get him, you at least need Seamus the dog.
Sounds good. I'm not a Pink Floyd fan, not to say I don't enjoy the music, I'm just not up to date on the members and goings of the band.
 



Oof these kind of lists are so difficult for me. Have to throw out so many essential albums and artists to carve it down. Usual caveats, this list is off the top of my head, it could change any time I was asked.

10 essential albums/desert island list (in no particular order)

1. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
2. Nirvana - Nevermind
3. The Pixies - Doolittle
4. Tori Amos - Boys For Pelee
5. The Beatles - Revolver
6. Metallica - Master of Puppets
7. Talking Heads - Remain In Light
8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads
9. Gang of Four - Entertainment
10. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
 

That's a fair point. It would be easy to categorize them in their own sub-genre. Some soundtracks are just collections of previously recorded songs from pre-existing albums, like Dazed and Confused, or Guardians of the Galaxy. Still, they're great collections on their own.

Miami Vice, on the other hand, had a great collection of songs from various contemporary artists capturing the feel and the lifestyle perpetuated by the popular series at the time. Less Than Zero, however, had an interesting mix of rock, rap, r&b, and metal covers. Perhaps the most notable track was Slayer doing an abridged cover of Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. But the most iconic track, IMO, was the surprising hit from the Bangles, A Hazy Shade of Winter.

But that leads into the category of original scores. You might not think of this as regular music the majority of us would listen to casually on a regular basis. But you can't deny the power and emotion of some of the best known and iconic scores, especially when they're tied into a beloved movie or scene. George Lucas has said that the music was the only thing that exceeded his expectations for the original Star Wars movie.

Conan the Barbarian was another standout of original scores that helped define the movie picture. When I hear the opening drums and horns of The Anvil of Crom, I am instantly transported to the days of high adventure. And let me tell you, there is no better way to wake up feeling ready to take on the world than setting your morning alarm to this. Try it. (Just make sure the volume isn't so loud you wake up with heart palpitations! I am speaking from personal experience on that one.)

Edit: I need to throw in one more--Last Action Hero. I love this movie, and the soundtrack is one of my favorites ever. Most were original songs that were hits in their own right (like Big Guns by AC/DC, Angry Again by Megadeth). But it also featured two new songs from Alice In Chains (What the Hell Have I? and A Little Bitter), which I think was among their best songs ever. And if that ain't enough, let's throw in some killer tracks by Anthrax (Poison My Eyes), Tesla (Last Action Hero), and Queensryche (The Real World).
I’ll just note that most of those you mentioned are in my collection.😎
 


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