I often think about stellar albums. The ones where they’re really isn’t a skip-able track. Off the top of my head, these come to mind: The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, Collective Soul Collective Soul (blue album), Bush 16 Stone, and Green Day Dookie. What are some of your perfect albums?
“Tales of Mystery and Imagination,” by the Alan Parsons Project, is a near-perfect concept album in my mind. It’s cross-genre while still feeling being interconnected.
I also love John Mellencamp’s “Mr. Happy Go Lucky.” To my frustration, though, the version of it on the streaming services I know of is missing the interstitial tracks on the CD. I think that actually takes a lot away from it as they had provided transitions that made it feel more like a complete work.
“Glaciers,” Blue Sky Black Death, follows the annoying trend of titling tracks with roman numerals but feels like an hour-long DJ set that flows very naturally. A very different album with a similar trait in my mind is F#A#Infinity, Godspeed(!) You(!) Black Emperor(!).
A more ambient choice, Jon Hopkins “Immunity.” “Psychic” from Darkside (Nicolaas Jaar with Dave Harrington) also comes to mind.
I’m having trouble thinking of really new examples right now… I kind of feel like the album has faded out as an art form and a lot more releases today seem more like just grab-bags of tracks, probably because of the streaming delivery model. There’s definitely some counterexamples out there, though.
Second Alan Parsons Project album I’ve seen in this list! I Robot was one of my favorite records growing up, but I really thought they were a forgotten band.
Jon Hopkins’ Immunity is one of my favorite albums for work and study as well as active listening. It can slide into the background without being drowsy or melancholy.
I got to see the Alan Parsons Project live about a year ago! It was a great show but Alan Parsons is definitely showing his age. It was an anniversary tour for “Eye in the Sky” delayed a couple years by COVID. I guess I feel bad that I’m hoping he lives long enough to get to a Stereotomy anniversary…