My Favorite Albums Ever
These are albums that I come back to over and over again. They never get old. They are never not awesome. They are not necessarily the BEST albums of all time, but they are my FAVORITE albums of all time. They are in alphabetical order by album title
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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Make sure you get the original version - not an extended version. These are perfect songs and there isn't even remotely a weak link. The album you listen to should have nine tracks. If it has more than that, you're looking at an extendo version. These are the original tracks: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_%26_Morality#Track_listing)
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Van Morrison
One of the most courageous and inventive albums of all time that I never tire of.
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George Winston
Got it when I was 18. It has been a go-to for me since then. I can sing every piano note - right now, without even having it on!
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Bob Dylan
Acoustic on one side, electric on the other. Lyrics that I would put up against any lyrics ever written.
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Tears For Fears
TFF has coincidentally released albums at major transition moments of my life throughout their entire career. It's like they are monitoring me or something. This one came out right as Tina and I moved from Tahoe to Ames. Skip the song called Power. Other than that one track, it's perfect.
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Fleet Foxes
Possibly my favorite album of all time. Maybe. I put this on every time I'm on a road trip and I revel in the joy and celebration of it. During covid I was driving through town singing He Doesn't Know Why and I literally started crying! These songs are all pure, natural, and moving to me.
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X-Ray Spex
Besides The White Album, probably one of my oldest favorite albums. Got it in 9th grade, listened to it about two weeks ago, and about a million times in between. Anytime I'm in the mood for pure punk rock, Version 1.0, this is the album I turn to.
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Yo La Tengo
I could probably put more than one Yo album on here, but this is their high point I think? It's definitely the one I turn on most often - and I turn it on a lot.
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Belle and Sebastian
This is one of those comfortable albums that I come back to over and over. It's always awesome. It always sounds like what I want to hear somehow.
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Sufjan Stevens
This is a list of favorites, but I actually think this might be the greatest record of all time. It's also definitely one of my favorites
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Radiohead, In Rainbows
Perfect. Start to finish. When I think about Radiohead, I usually put this one on.
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Alice Coltrane
Track one, holy crap I love it. This album is a spiritual journey
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The Clash
Another that I would argue might be among the greatest albums of all time and also a favorite
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Iron & Wine
Sort of like Belle and Sebastian in that it just always sounds great. It's like an old friend.
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Paul Simon
We've talked enough about this one. I think it's totally brilliant. Playful. Amazing guitar. Profound. Melodic. I love it.
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R.E.M.
Maybe not the greatest in any technical sense, but (I know I also said this about Fleet Foxes) it might be my favorite album of all time.
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The Kinks
The Kinks' masterpiece. Their Pet Sounds. It never gets old. Waterloo Sunset is the track that gets the most attention, but I love the flow and feel of the whole album as a single work of art.
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Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Elvis Costello
The organ, the voice, the anger. It's all so amazing. This is his greatest album, and I've listened to it regularly for 40 years, as crazy as that sounds.
Note: I have the album saved without Night Rally or Big Tears because those songs were not on the original cassette. I don't know why they are present on the streaming version of the album, but I think they should be skipped to get the original experience.
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The Beatles
The album on this list that has been in my life the longest -- since I was ten years old. We've discussed it enough that no further comment is necessary. It's a timeless piece of art in my life.
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