Jueves 1 Jun 2006, 16:08
Inspired by a similar post at http://www.last.fm/user/shan2001/ Journal.
If I could only have 10 albums to listen to forever and ever, what would they be? …
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E.1999 Eternal
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/4810386.JPG
(1998) Bone Thugs! I can't express how much I love this group. They are exactly what they say on the tin, Thugs who harmonise and boy do they do it well. I first got this album when I was 14 or 15? a while ago anyway and it's definitly one of my most played albums ever. It never gets boring and that's quite rare. Every track is quality but stand up tracks would be ''East 1999 Eternal'', ''Mr. Bill Collector'', ''Mo' Murda'' and it may only be 55 seonds long but ''Me Killa''. If you claim to like Hip-Hop even a little bit, you must hear this album!
Boyz II Men - CooleyHighHarmony
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/5300892.JPG
(1991) Injection Fella's.
Best Male vocal group, ever! And They're Motown! From this and the album above, you can probably assume I dig men who harmonise. You'd be right and this album here justifies my reasons. The first track is, the very popular, ''End Of The Road'' that sets the tone for the album but in no way means it's the best track (for me anyway) and not all tracks are slow jamz. I could, and have, listen to this album over and over. I have all Boyz II Men's albums but this jem released in 1991 is definitly their best. I can't decided wether my favourite track is the uptempo ''Under Pressure'' or the slow ''Please Don't Go''. Truth is, I couldn't live without this album.
Go West - Go West
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDGOLD1014.JPG
(1985) Yay it's 80's Throwback time!
I haven't lived without this album sinse I was 6 years old so I'm pretty sure I'd die without it. When I was little I had a crappy old cassete player and like 1 tape so I would hunt through my mums collection and I found this, simply titled ''Go West'' I played it and fell in love, and this wasn't no passing phase, the love remained til this day. Every single track is standout 80's genius! ''Eye to Eye'' is probably my favourite but I can't deney the haunting sound of ''Missing Persons''. The group is made of a young Peter Cox and Tony Hadley, and I can't do anything but praise their voices!
A Hidden Classic.
Michael Jackson - Thriller
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/5044222.JPG
(1982)I really struggled to pick between Bad and Thriller (and if this list was 20 albums long they would all be on here). I settled with Thriller because ''Thriller'' ''Billie Jean'' ''Beat It'' ''The Girl Is Mine'' ''Someone In The Dark''… yeah so all of them. Biggest seller of all time and it's understandabe, it's a quality album and it is TIMELESS. Michael Jackson is my favourite artist of all time. The quality has never died for me. As I say, if this was a 20 item this, then even Invincible would be here. But Thriller is pick of the bunch and I can't really begin to argue why as it's obvious so i'll shut up.
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/isc4906322.JPG
(2000) It had to be here! It's lyrical gold from start to finish (ignoring the skits). It's emotional, it's humorous, it's dark, it's cleaver. Not even the hardcore Eminem haters could deney the masterpiece that was ''Stan'', that track just grabs you from the get go and refuses to let go until Em realises Stan's dead. ''Oh''. I love all the tracks but standouts would probably be ''Kill You'' ''The Way I am'' ''Under The Influence'' and ''Criminal''. It's an album you can put on from time to time and be totally engaged in it, it demands your attention and keeps it, something that many Hip-Hop albums don't.
(Plus the cover art is cool. heh.)
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/74321447202.JPG
(1996) So it was between this and Nas' Illmatic, and I know the majority would of picked Illmatic because it is a classic, I went with Reasonable Doubt. I couldn't resist. Jigga's debut is also nothing short of classic material. Every track is solid and guest appearences from Biggie and Mary J. Blige take it up an even higher notch. The production is tight, the lyrics are tight, the content is quality. I still can't resist ''Politics as Usural'' ''Dead Presidents II'' ''Can I live'' ''Can't Knock the Hustle''… Yep I would definitly need this album if I were only allowed 10.
2pac - Me Against The World
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CHIP200.JPG
(1995) Like I said with MJ, if I were allowed more than 10 then there would be more than one Tupac album, but Me Against The World is arguably his best and just look at that cover <3
The album contains some of his best singles, including ''Me Against The World'' (of course), ''Temptations'' and ''So Many Tears'' and a woman can't help but love Tupac when he dedicates a song to his mother ''Dear Mama''. Tupac is without a doubt my favourite Hip-Hop artist and my 2nd fave of all time, just beind MJ. Yes there are better lyricists out there but Tupac brings such Charisma and emotion to his songs, he can't be faulted for that. I could listen to him all day every day and this album is some of his best work.
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/4509918952.JPG
(1984) My 3rd album from the 80's and again this is completly TIMLESS!
I can't express my admiration for this album, it is a work of art. The lyrics make you think and often crack me up at times. Morrissey's vocal talents can't be faulted as he brings his humorous emotion to the lyrics. I love solo Morrissey, but nothing compares to the Mighty Smiths!
''A tough kid who sometimes swallows nails
Raised on Prisoner's Aid
He killed a policeman when he was
Thirteen
And somehow that really impressed
Me
And it's written all over my face''
One of my favourite lyrics ever along with ''And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the
Railway station ''
I could literally quote this album all day so I'll stop there.
''How Soon Is Now'' is one of their more popular songs and it is as good as it's hyped up to be but I prefer ''Well I wonder'' and ''Meat Is Murder''. I'm a vegetarian so the lyrics for that song, I'll mostly agree with but if your not then you might be offended, but it's the Smiths so who cares. Yes, one of the best albums of all time and I don't care what genres you listen to, you NEED to listen to this.
Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/0249862802.JPG
(1994) Ignore the sex skits and this is a pure CLASSIC!
Biggie can spit stories like no other and his deep voice is just infectious. We have the interesting Intro then we kick off with ''Things Done Changed'' I love this track!
''My Momma got cancer in her breast
Dont ask me why Im motherfuckin stressed, things done changed''
''Juicy'' is just legendary. I have so much love for this track and the rareness of a feel good track on this album is very much welcome. The only gripe with this track and some others on the album, is Puffy. His voice will often make random apperences and can become annoying. I can easily pass over this cause the content is quality.
Adore this album and couln't live without it.
Dr. Dre - 2001
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/4908232.JPG
(1999) Another tough desision. I was SO close to picking ''Chronic'' over this for obvious reasons but I can't deney that this album contains some of the best beats ever made. Ever. They are too infectious for me not to listen to ever again. I can't hate on the guest apparences either: Kurupt, Hitt-man, MC Ren, Devin The Dude, Mary J. Blige…. Dre himself may not write all his own lyrics but he sure as hell can put an album together! I even love the skit ''Car bomb'' it's hallarious lol. I won't even begin to list of my favourite tracks cause I don't know where to start.
This album can keep me entertained forever so no I'm not guilty about putting this here over more obvious Hip-Hop albums.
:D
I've wrote all that and thinking about it, I can't imagine never listening to Mary J. Blige or Madonna again. I can't believe I don't have one female artist! But I can't swap those albums because I Neeed them.
Meh.
If you read this please do your own list and let me know because I love reading them lol.