I just made a mental note to NEVER get stuck on a desert island w/ Bronson

The real question is, if you had to get stuck on a desert island with a Bronson, which one would it be?

Charles is out because he wouldn't think twice before killing and eating you, and you probably couldn't stop him. (Or for the more literal minded, he's been dead so long that the meat's no good to you.)

Pinchot is out for I think obvious reasons.

I think it's basically Arroyo, or transcendentalist Bronson Alcott. And since I generally like Arroyo's music taste and wouldn't get tired of hearing about '04, I gotta go with Arroyo.

He loses me pretty quickly, but "Ten" is without a doubt the finest rock album to come out in my lifetime, which is just about the same as Bronson's.

Depends on how long I'll be stranded with him.

Probably not for long -- he'd likely be good at braiding a sail.

He loses me pretty quickly, but "Ten" is without a doubt the finest rock album to come out in my lifetime, which is just about the same as Bronson's.

1.) "Ten" is 53 minutes long. Was it released on two LPs? I don't remember that if it was.

2.) Bronson was 2 when The Clash's "London Calling" came out. And then you have to contend with the Minutemen and "Double Nickles on the Dime". I think those two are pretty clearly better albums than "Ten". And at least the element of doubt pops up. (Some people would add "The Wall".)

3.) On a personal note, I never liked Pearl Jam. "Ten" was the album that killed grunge for me.

Wow, I really can't read today. I saw "double album" in there somewhere. Anyway, with the broader criteria, I can't even argue that "Ten" was the finest rock album of 1991.

1.) "Ten" is 53 minutes long. Was it released on two LPs? I don't remember that if it was.


Yes, it was.

2.) Bronson was 2 when The Clash's "London Calling" came out. And then you have to contend with the Minutemen and "Double Nickles on the Dime". I think those two are pretty clearly better albums than "Ten". And at least the element of doubt pops up. (Some people would add "The Wall".)

London Calling is the finest album in the past 30 years. I will not argue this.

Love me two times baby, once for tomorrow, and once cause I got aids....

*feels accomplished after getting repoz's obscure reference for the first time ever*

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is probably my choice for best 90s rock album. Some might say OK Computer.

I can't even argue that "Ten" was the finest rock album of 1991.

I agree, it was definitely "Schubert Dip" by EMF

Geez, I was thinking surely there'd be a starlet or bikini model with the last name Bronson, but so far nothing. Wikipedia only lists these options:

Bertrand H. Bronson, the author and musicologist
Charles Bronson, the actor
Charles Bronson (prisoner), a British convicted prisoner who renamed himself after the actor
Charles Bronson (politician), Florida Commissioner of Agriculture
Maurice Bronson, a teacher in the BBC TV series Grange Hill played by Michael Sheard
Bronson (or Buronson), a Japanese comics writer
Richard Bronson, an American professional wrestler
Marko Vukcevich, also known as Bronson, an ex-member of the band Mushroomhead.
Bronson Arroyo, major league pitcher, member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox world series team.

It doesn't have any actual info on Bertrand Bronson. I'd rather not be on a desert island with a convicted prisoner for obvious reasons. There may be at least three other faux-Bronsons (the comics guy, the wrestler, the guy from Mushroomhead whoever they are) and there's a fictional Bronson. And of course THE Charles Bronson is dead.

So it's Arroyo or the Fla Commissioner of Ag

Now I have no idea why my search didn't generate Bronson Pinchot. My favorite bits in his entry:

In 1999, Pinchot and Gailard Sartain played the nephews of the legendary Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, respectively, in the movie The All-New Adventures of Laurel and Hardy: For Love or Mummy (1999). Although the film, which co-starred Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, was denied a theatrical release and premiered on video, Pinchot was praised for his deft impersonation of Stan Laurel.

In December 2002, Pinchot became a third-degree freemason.

OK, I'm gonna go with Claire Bronson

Whaddya know, Bronson Arroyo appears on IMDB for his appearance on the Grammys in 2005.

In Arroyo's defense, "August and Everything After" is a fine album. I'm a huge Soundgarden/Pearl Jam fan, but my favorite rock ablum of the 90s is probably "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"

The answer to this should be Automatic For (you) People.

I can't believe the guy couldn't come up with his favorite five . . . . How hard can that be?

"Ten" is without a doubt the finest rock album to come out in my lifetime

Sorry Bronson - I'll take Who is The Black Crowes and Southern Harmony?, Alex.

London Calling is obviously fantastic as well.

I was all fired up to point out that London Calling is the finest rock and roll record of Arroyo's lifetime, but I see that pretty much everyone else in this thread has said the same thing.

1991 albums that are better than Ten, IMO:
Nirvana, Nevermind
Teenage Fanclub, Bandwagonesque
The KLF, The White Room
Public Enemy, Apocalypse '91
Pixies, Trompe Le Monde
Fugazi, Steady Diet of Nothing

...with honorable mention going to U2, GnR, R.E.M., My Bloody Valentine, Soundgarden, and A Tribe Called Quest.

When it comes to discussions like this, AcclaimedMusic.net is invaluable.

How hard can that be?

Off the top of my head, for me,

1. Ween-12 Golden Country Greats
2. Tenacious D
3. Wyclef Presents the Carnival
4. Blood Sugar Sex Magik
5. Decade of Steely Dan (or Pretzel Logic, if greatest hits don't count)

I have an advantage on most of you: I'm older so I have more albums to choose from.

Automatic for the People
What's Going On
Born to Run
The Joshua Tree
Abbey Road

This is pretty easy for me:
The Clash - London Calling
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake The Sheets
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...
The Paper Chase - Now You Are One Of Us
mclusky - mcluskyism (But I'll take mclusky Do Dallas if I can't take a compilation.)

The Meadowlands
Automatic for the People
Black Star
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
40 Oz. to Freedom

Hopefully I end up on your island, Danny. I was not happy about having to leave The Meadowlands behind.

My lifetime? Revolver, by the Beatles. I thought it was the best record I'd ever heard in 1966, and I still feel that way today.

The best album of the 1990s, IMO, was Loveless, by My Bloody Valentine.

From that list of 1991 albums I go with Teenage Fanclub. Fantastic

The first four were easy, but the last was almost impossible to decide.

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2
Radiohead - Kid A
Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage
Dave Van Ronk - Sunday Street

Sticky Fingers -- Stones
The Band -- The Band
Into the Purple Valley -- Ry Cooder
Sketches of Spain -- Miles Davis
Court of the Crimson King -- King Crimson

not limited to the 90s or my lifetime:

Helium - The Magic City
Tool - 10,000 Days
Q and not U - Power
Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans
Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic

Five favorite in my lifetime:

The Who - Who's Next
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Springsteen - Born to Run
Guns n Roses - Appetite for Destruction
REM - Automatic for the People

Pretzel Logic comes close.

The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash
Husker Du - Warehouse: Songs & Stories
REM - Reckoning
Tim - The Replacements
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

God, do I hate people who think Ten is better than Nevermind. That's just indefensible.

Also, the entire notion of the album as the proper form of the music release is ultimately just another expression of rockism. I was working through an album list, I had Born to Run, Thriller, Crooked Rain, realized I was lacking both soul and hip-hop, realized there weren't really albums that I wanted - maybe an Aretha greatest hits cd or something - and saw the problem with the whole album question in the first place. If I could pack to go to a desert island forever, I'd be ####### around on iTunes making mixes for months.

I'm surprised there's such a consensus around "Pretzel Logic." "The Royal Scam" is obviously the best Steely Dan album.

Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand
Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
Leonard Cohen - The Essential Leonard Cohen

If this weren't limited to my lifetime, Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours" would be on there, and maybe "Highway 61 Revisited." Of course, if you ask me again next week, it's possible there will be five completely different albums on my list.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake The Sheets

Huh, that's interesting. I like the album, but nothing on it to me reaches the heights of the best songs from the earlier two albums - where's the "Rude Boys" or "Hearts of Oak" or "Timorous Me"? It did sound awesome in concert though, I'll give him that.

I was thinking of Spiderland by Slint as the best album of 1991.

The whole LP/CD on an island jazz always seemed like ear-gragling torture to me...seeing that most "artists" start to annoy me by the third chorus, which is why I've always collected 45's and now MP3's...I mean by the time you get to the 23rd Gentle Giant LP or the 5th song on a lame Raybeats EP...they've long lost their zip (as if they ever had any).

BTW...my Top 60 Indi/Undi Songs of 2006...that I would take to a deserted Island record A&R;party.

If this were a game of "Choosing Arroyo's album collection or pick another MLB player at random's collection", I would take Bronson's.

Also, the entire notion of the album as the proper form of the music release is ultimately just another expression of rockism.

You say that as if the notion of rockism was anything other than whining by people hopelessly insecure with their own taste. And there are plenty of great non-rock albums (and great rock singles than have nothing really to do with albums).

Also, the entire notion of the album as the proper form of the music release is ultimately just another expression of rockism.

Who on this thread said that the album is the "proper" form of music release?

I gotta admit, I don't get this whole "albums suck, singles are great." I concede that there are many great songs stuck on otherwise mediocre albums, but when you encounter an album that is just fantastic all the way through, its just an incredible listening experience, a feeling that far outweighs a string of unconnected songs, even if they are good. Making a good album is hard work, making a single good song is easy... that's why there's so many one-hit-wonders. For those who say they can't find any good albums to listen to, I say you're not trying hard enough. Part of the wonderful journey is the work it takes to uncover classic albums.

Making a good album is hard work, making a single good song is easy... that's why there's so many one-hit-wonders.

Making a single good song isn't easy; there are far more lousy songs than good ones (and plenty of one-hit-wonders whose one hit wasn't so much a good song as the right crappy song at the right crappy moment). Making lots of good songs is certainly harder than making just one though.

Making lots of good songs is certainly harder than making just one though.

Couldn't have said it better myself, since uh... uh... apparently I really couldn't. Certainly crafting a good song is hard, but an entire album is something else entirely.

1991 albums that are better than Ten, IMO:

Hmm, 1991 wasn't exactly the greatest year in music. Some I'd put ahead of TEN (a quick partial list):

Crowded House, WOODFACE (*BOTH* Finn Brothers FTW!)
Metallica, METALLICA (typical initial reaction from most metalheads: four minute Metallica songs? WTF is this?)
Nirvana, NEVERMIND
Simply Red, STARS
REM, OUT OF TIME
Rush, ROLL THE BONES
Matthew Sweet, GIRLFRIEND*
Richard Thompson, RUMOR AND SIGH
U2, Achtung, Baby

The two GNR albums were both too bloated for either to make the list. If you could cheat and make one slimmer album by junking the crap, they would have qualified.


* slight Pearl Jam TEN connection here for me; back in college, if you wanted to get tickets for the upcoming Pearl Jam show on campus, you had to go to the Sweet show to get them. Pearl Jam had played Milwaukee a few months earlier, opening for the Chili Peppers.

I'm surprised there's such a consensus around "Pretzel Logic." "The Royal Scam" is obviously the best Steely Dan album.

Actually, the best Steely Dan album is Aja. :-)

My lifetime? Revolver, by the Beatles.

I'm more of a RUBBER SOUL person, but obviously both albums have their adherents.

(based on the British albums/CD releases as canon, not the slightly different US album releases)

Actually, the best Steely Dan album is Aja. :-)

1. AJA
2. PRETZEL LOGIC
3. COUNTDOWN TO ECSTASY

Can I name my top 100??

3.) On a personal note, I never liked Pearl Jam. "Ten" was the album that killed grunge for me.

I'm not sure if that's more, or less, impressive given that Ten isn't really grunge.

God, do I hate people who think Ten is better than Nevermind. That's just indefensible.

How about people who can recognize the ways in which Nevermind is a superior achievement, but still think Ten is better?

And anyway, that position you cite is no more "indefensible" than the knee-jerk idea that Ten is Pearl Jam's best work. I think there are also arguments to be made for Vs, Vitalogy (though I don't feel it's aged well), the recent self-titled and even Yield. Where's SJ at when a PJ discussion needs him anyway?

And AAEA by the Counting Crows is excellent.

Led Zeppelin II
Revolver
Operation Mindcrime
Nevermind the Bollocks
The Number of the Beast

Actually I want to name my top 200.

200 - Bows and Arrows by the Walkmen
199 - Beat Happening - Black Candy
198 - Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey
197 - Sonic Youth - Murray Street
196 - Band of Horses - Everything all the Time

Husker Du - Warehouse: Songs & Stories

No offence, but would you be the first fan ever who thinks that is better than Zen Arcade and New Day Rising?

Husker Du - Warehouse: Songs & Stories

No offence, but would you be the first fan ever who thinks that is better than Zen Arcade and New Day Rising?

Well, not the first. There were a couple of us on another board who felt the same in a recent Favorite Husker Du album poll (Zen was first, New Day Rising was second). For me, it's just a matter of timing. Warehouse was my introduction to the band, and I worked backward from there. The first one held meaning beyond its merits, I suppose.

By the way, I'm really looking forward to your 195-1.

Ok Computer
Summerteeth
Keep It Like A Secret
The Soft Bulletin
Paul's Boutique

That was pretty easy. Although you could trade out about 100 other albums and I'd be happy.

Well, not the first. There were a couple of us on another board who felt the same in a recent Favorite Husker Du album poll (Zen was first, New Day Rising was second). For me, it's just a matter of timing. Warehouse was my introduction to the band, and I worked backward from there. The first one held meaning beyond its merits, I suppose.

By the way, I'm really looking forward to your 195-1.

Great point and that would be why 'All Shook Down' was my favourite album by the Mats for a while!!
I still have a soft spot for it.

195 - New Pornos - Electric Version
194 - Destroyer - Streethawk Seduction
193 - Fugazi - The Argument
192 - White Stripes - Self Titld Debut
191 - Minor Threat - Complete Disography (It's in your head, It's in your head, It's in your head, Phillip!!!)

In all honesty my top 100 with be an amalgamation of the best of lists from the 1970's to present...

I can keep going however...

#15: I've never seen anyone who'd heard "Loveless" give it something like an honorable mention: almost always amazing, awful, or (most frequently) never heard of it. (And Trompe le Monde is the only bad Pixies album.) Too bad it had to come out the same year as "Nevermind."

By the way, I'm really looking forward to your 195-1.

Please keep in mind that this is a thread about Bronson Arroyo.

#15: I've never seen anyone who'd heard "Loveless" give it something like an honorable mention: almost always amazing, awful, or (most frequently) never heard of it. (And Trompe le Monde is the only bad Pixies album.) Too bad it had to come out the same year as "Nevermind."

Loveless is in my top 20 while Tromp Le Monde is no where near my top 200.

Please keep in mind that this is a thread about Bronson Arroyo.

:)

My list basically has 7 Sonic Youth albums, about 7 from REM, all 5 Pavement, 4 from Dinosaur Jr, Velvet Underground and you am i, 3 from the Archers of Loaf, and various assortments from radiohead, destroyer, the new pornos, ted leo, wilco, neutral milk, spiritualized, dj shadow, ahpex twin, etc etc...

Daydream Nation is my all time favourite album ever

I forgot the Huskers, Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, stone roses, and many more!!!

Great point and that would be why 'All Shook Down' was my favourite album by the Mats Paul Westerberg for a while!!

Fixed.

And Trompe le Monde is the only bad Pixies album.

A pox on your house. It's not Doolittle or Surfer Rosa, but it's held up better than Bossanova (which hardly qualifies as bad either).

Hmm...

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Tool - Lateralus
Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
Faith No More - Angel Dust

A pox on your house.

It's not an uncommon opinion.

I'd personally rank it below Bossanova.


Back when, stupid Pixies canceled their campus appearance on the Bossanova tour. Stupid personnel problems. Grumble. Grumble.
/offtopic grumbling

Great point and that would be why 'All Shook Down' was my favourite album by the Mats Paul Westerberg for a while!!

Fixed.

Good point

Did you like any ofhis solo albums, NTN??

I love 'Suicaine Gratification',just love it. Top 50 for me easy

Biff - Lateralus over Aenima?? How you been anyway??

Did you like any ofhis solo albums, NTN??

Haven't heard any of his last few albums, to be honest.

Bought his first couple when they came out, but that was about it... thought they were 'alright', but that's about it, so I really didn't buy the following albums.

How could I forget Fugazi, Television, X, Joy Division and Midnight Oil!!

Doing a top 200 is tougher than I thought...sigh

Boo, no love for The Strokes? Is This It? is a killer album, although all three of their albums are deep in (what I think are) good tunes.

And Murder by Death, too. Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them? is quality indie as well.

Bought his first couple when they came out, but that was about it... thought they were 'alright', but that's about it, so I really didn't buy the following albums.

Suicaine was his third and I only bought it in 1999 because I was living in London at the time and the Megastore had nothing else I wanted. I was fast losing patience with him, but was not dissapointed. Very very depressing though. I was playing that, the Flaming Lips 'Soft Bulletin', Pavement's Terror Twilight and Wheat's 'Hopeand Adams' at the same time and was close to suicide!!

I love 'Is this it', CWS. I just don't know where to stop really, might have to do a Top 500 when I think about it...

Pearl Jam or the Decemberist's don't makemy Top 500 either.

:)

My wife just arrived and this is her Top 5...

Modest Mouse - Good News for People who love bad news
Mercury Rev - Deserters Songs
Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
The Shins - Chutes too Narrow
Spiritualized - Let it come down

At least down there, you're able to get Tim Finn's latest domestically.

No stateside distribution for IMAGINARY KINGDOM (although Finn Brothers albums still get released domestically).
Import-only here.

At least down there, you're able to get Tim Finn's latest domestically.

I saw the Crowded House mention before and got excited. I was at their fairwell gig at The Sydney Opera House. One of the greatest concerts I have ever been to.

Can I have another...PIECE OF CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!

Can I have another...PIECE OF CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!

Yeah, saw Crowded House when they played on campus way back during the WOODFACE tour....

The Who -- Who's Next
Ben Folds Five -- Whatever and Ever Amen
Chicago Transit Authority -- Chicago Transit Authority
Jimi Hendrix -- Band of Gypsys
Sufjan Stevens -- Illinois

Yeah, saw Crowded House when they played on campus way back during the WOODFACE tour....

Is that your favourite album? The debut is hard to beat for me and staple food at every single Aussie barbie on Australia Day.

I'd give WOODFACE a slight nod over the debut; twice the Finn-power, after all.... :P

Wasn't WOODFACE originally going to be a Finn Brothers album, that eventually became a Crowded House album? I seem to recall reading that somewhere....

Sufjan is up there for me as well!!

Damn this is exciting. Ben Folds Five's two albums are in the Top 100 for me as well. Philosophy and Best Imtimidation of Myself are personnal favourites

You are a lover of the double Finn effect!!!

I'd give WOODFACE a slight nod over the debut; twice the Finn-power, after all.... :P

Wasn't WOODFACE originally going to be a Finn Brothers album, that eventually became a Crowded House album? I seem to recall reading that somewhere....

Just checked the might Wiki and you are right...

Faced with some time off, Neil began writing some songs with his brother Tim for an album they were considering to release under the name "Finn". The sessions yielded enough songs for an album and both brothers were happy with the result, but Neil was also faced with the task of writing a 3rd Crowded House album. After a rejection by the record company of the material he had composed for this album, Neil asked his brother if they could use some of the Finn songs for the next album. Tim agreed, jokingly saying that it was on the proviso that he be made a member. Neil took this literally and the band soon wound up in the studio again recording the new songs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowded_house#Woodface_.281991.29

I was born in 1985. Do I have to list only the best albums of my lifetime? That'd be a pretty short list.

My favorite album of my lifetime is definitely The Stone Roses. One of the few times a US printing has improved upon the UK printing, since the US printing added the full ten-minute long Fools Gold at the end of it (which was also the best place to put the song in terms of the album's aesthetics, since the nine-minute I Am The Resurrection was the preceding track).

Stone Roses, Angel Dust by Faith No More, Loveless, The Daddy of Them All by the Space Monkeys, The White Stripes' debut, Boy in Da Corner, Up The Bracket by the Libertines, The Dark Art of Happiness by the Ludes.

Eh, easier than I thought.

My favorite album of my lifetime is definitely The Stone Roses. One of the few times a US printing has improved upon the UK printing, since the US printing added the full ten-minute long Fools Gold at the end of it (which was also the best place to put the song in terms of the album's aesthetics, since the nine-minute I Am The Resurrection was the preceding track).

For years I thought Fools Gold was a partof the album. Amazing album that is in my Top 10.

How you been anyway, Flynn? See the cricket at all???

The Shins - Chutes too Narrow

New album, Wincing The Night Away, comes out January 30th! And I'm going to see them in February!

I've tried and tried, but for whatever reason I can't get into BTF favs like The Pixies and Yo La Tengo. A lot of their work just seem bland and unspectacular to me. Maybe they're just not my taste? For reference, my favorites range from the likes of Whiskeytown, Old 97s, and Robert Earl Keen to Nickel Creek to Blur to Wilco.

I'll change this up a little bit and list my top five albums from 2006:
1. Artic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
2. The Format- Dog Problems
3. Sean Watkins- Blinders On
4. T.I.- King
5. Clipse- Hell Hath No Fury
Honorable mentions: Chris Thile- How To Grow A Woman From the Ground; Ghostface Killah- Fishscale (I hate rap skits); Sufjan Stevens- Avalanche.

Paul's Boutique

...was made obsolete by Check Your Head.

Guess I'll throw a little diversity into the mix...

Nas, Illmatic
A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders
A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory
Boogie Down Productions, Criminal Minded
Boogie Down Productions, By All Means Necessary
Ultramagnetic MCs, Critical Beatdown
Dr. Dre, The Chronic
Eric B. & Rakim, Paid in Full
De La Soul, Three Feet High and Rising
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, The Main Ingredient

And somehow, I am the first to mention the greatest album of all-time: Pet Sounds.

New album, Wincing The Night Away, comes out January 30th! And I'm going to see them in February!

I have the new album. It is pretty good but their worst, easily. In saying that, by music standards it is good. It was always going to be tough to match the first two though...

Le Samorrai - Have heard Nas's new album, "Hip Hop is Dead". My cousin loves his rap and israving about this album.

And somehow, I am the first to mention the greatest album of all-time: Pet Sounds.

In my top 10 easily. Was used at our wedding as well.

With regards to the Beasties...Their first four albums would all be in my top 100. It never ends!!

Daydream Nation is my all time favourite album ever

Your choice is the correct one.
I'll give The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin runner-up status from the last 20 years or so.

2006 - No Order

Yo La Tengo, The Sleepy Jackson (Aussie Band), Destroyer, Tapes n Tapes, Band of Horses, The Hold Steady, The Rapture, The Liars ( This album is a massive grower, but worth the time and effort!), Pavement re-released the might Wowee Zowee as well!!!

This year has promise as well with stuff coming from...

Modest Mouse (Saw them in concert last week with Lu, absolutely awesome show)
Of Montreal
The Bloc Party
The Apples in Stereo
The Arcade Fire
Ted Leo
The Stooges
Gang of Four
...and many many more!!!

####### - my 2006 list leaves out Sonic Youth's 'Rather Ripped' by accident!!

Sonic Youth are seriously ####### awesome. I mean one of either Daydream Nation, Sister, Evol, Goo, Murray Street and Washing Machine could find it's way into most peoples top lists.

God bless them

Was the Okkervil River album 06? If so it was definitely my favorite of the year.

Was the Okkervil River album 06? If so it was definitely my favorite of the year.

think it was 2005. Saw them live last year and they were fantastic. had never heard them till I saw them live. they have a new album coming in 2007 as well!!!

London Calling is an unparalleled choice.

Biff - Lateralus over Aenima?? How you been anyway??

Yep. I think it's Tool's finest work. And I'm fine, same as always. It seems whenever I post in a topic nowadays there's someone wondering how I've been.

Stone Roses, Angel Dust by Faith No More, Loveless, The Daddy of Them All by the Space Monkeys, The White Stripes' debut, Boy in Da Corner, Up The Bracket by the Libertines, The Dark Art of Happiness by the Ludes.

It's kind of interesting how our lists share Angel Dust but are so completely different otherwise.

Best album of Bronson Arroyo's lifetime: Giant Steps by the Boo Radleys.

Sonic Youth are seriously ####### awesome. I mean one of either Daydream Nation, Sister, Evol, Goo, Murray Street and Washing Machine could find it's way into most peoples top lists.

Phil,

I was thinking about this after Rather Ripped came out, but if you consider both peak and career value, Sonic Youth is arguably the greatest American rock band.

Sonic Youth is arguably the greatest American rock band.

When I used to see them opening for The Swans back in '81...you NEVER would have believed it.

And somehow, I am the first to mention the greatest album of all-time: Pet Sounds.

Preach it brother.

The best album of Bronson's (and my slightly shorter) lifetime is probably Mellon Collie.

I'm shocked at how many people still listen to albums. Outside of concept albums like Phish's Rift (fill in your own choices, this is the one currently in my CD player), the overwhelming majority of my music listening is individual songs or huge collections on shuffle.

Perhaps I am too critical, but I would say that in my history of music listening, I can't identify even 100 albums that don't have at least one song I actively dislike. I'm not saying "not as good as the other work by this artist," mind you, I'm saying "hit the skip button on the CD."

Although moving to the CD/MP3 generation has definitely changed the way I listen to music. When it was cassettes, you needed to decide if it was worth fast-forwarding and having silence for 30 seconds or just tolerating this crappy song to get to the next one. With CDs and MP3s, there's practically no consequence for skipping a crappy song.

Most of the time, even if I don't like something, I can recognize what makes other people find it enjoyable. Every once in a while, I am completely dumbfounded that any human being, let alone a large following, enjoys a particular thing. Pearl Jam and Napoleon Dynamite being perhaps the top 2 things in the box right now. I would rather turn off the radio than listen to Pearl Jam; I would rather watch the Home Shopping Network than Napoleon Dynamite.

My five --

1. Exile on Main Street
2. Born to Run
3. Cheap Trick (self titled debut)
4. Appetite for Destruction
5. American Idiot

If we were to enforce the "lifetime" rule -- I'd have to swap out Exile for either Blood on the Tracks, Joshua Tree, or maybe Petty's Last DJ (but, if this were a desert isle top 5, I'd then be forced to hide a copy of Exile up my butt or something).

Perhaps I am too critical, but I would say that in my history of music listening, I can't identify even 100 albums that don't have at least one song I actively dislike. I'm not saying "not as good as the other work by this artist," mind you, I'm saying "hit the skip button on the CD."

Full circle -- we're back to the days in the 50s and early 60s when the kids were all buying singles or listening to their AM rock and roll DJs, rather than buying full albums. FWIW, there's not a single song on any of my top 5 albums that I'd skip through.

Most of the time, even if I don't like something, I can recognize what makes other people find it enjoyable.

I heartily agree on this -- Nevermind would not make my list of "favorite" 100 albums, but it would certainly rank high on my objective list of "greatest" 100 albums. I feel the same way about London Calling -- I like the album, not not top 100 'like'... but I would likewise place it high on my "greatest" list - the sneering Clash 'tude just didn't do it for me...

Every once in a while, I am completely dumbfounded that any human being, let alone a large following, enjoys a particular thing. Pearl Jam and Napoleon Dynamite being perhaps the top 2 things in the box right now. I would rather turn off the radio than listen to Pearl Jam; I would rather watch the Home Shopping Network than Napoleon Dynamite.

I completely don't get Napoleon Dynamite either. Or Rushmore for that matter. (But maybe that's an age thing -- I have a feeling people ten years younger than me don't care for, I dunno, Better Off Dead.)

But I do love Pearl Jam. I can understand someone being "meh" on them, but it's hard for me to grasp such a strong distaste for them -- unless you're not keen on their genre in general. Though at this stage it's hard for me to not think of them as pretty much straightforward rock.

The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2

This album sucked so hard I considered writing iTunes an email to see if they could take the mp3s back and give me my money back. Anyway.

Neutral Milk Hotel -- In the Aeroplane over the Sea
Aphex Twin -- Selected Ambient Works, 85-92
Van Morrison -- Astral Weeks
Sigur Ros -- Takk . . .
The Mountain Goats -- Tallahassee

No particular order. Not comprehensive. The Morrison one came out before I was born. Jazz and classical disqualified.

But maybe that's an age thing -- I have a feeling people ten years younger than me don't care for, I dunno, Better Off Dead

I don't know how old you are, but I'd bet I'm close to ten years younger than you are, and I love Better of Dead. It's my feeling that Napoleon Dynamite is more fun to talk about, and to quote from, than it is to actually watch.

In my lifetime: (note, I wouldn't argue that these are the BEST, rather my favourite - though there is some overlap)

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Silver Jews - American Water
David Bowie - Scary Monsters and Super Creeps
Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction
GZA - Liquid Swords

My all time favourite album is Tonight's the Night, Neil Young, which I would also butt-smuggle if it came to do it. Probably try to fit some Stones in there too.

I don't know how old you are, but I'd bet I'm close to ten years younger than you are, and I love Better of Dead.

I'm 36. And that speaks well of your taste. :)

It's my feeling that Napoleon Dynamite is more fun to talk about, and to quote from, than it is to actually watch.

I was using Better off Dead as a top-of-the-head guess, but I feel like there are movies that just don't translate well across generations (or parts of generations). Not quite "cult" movies, but ones that you just won't quite (or at all) get unless you're in the targeted demo and saw it when it came out.

Another example (maybe): I finally saw Lebowski last year. It was funny, but not as much as I was expecting.

I'm 36. And that speaks well of your taste. :)

Ten years it is, then.

Charles is out because he wouldn't think twice before killing and eating you, and you probably couldn't stop him. (Or for the more literal minded, he's been dead so long that the meat's no good to you.)

Are you confusing Charles Bronson with Charles Manson?

What is the BTF consensus/groupthink, if any, on Questionable Content?

Are you confusing Charles Bronson with Charles Manson?

No, just saw Deathwish too many times maybe.

1) Pearl Jam: “Ten”
2) Counting Crows: “August and Everything After”
3) Metallica: “Black”
4) ummmmmmm....
5) hmmmm....jeez, let's see