The Perfect Album

I am 25 years old, which means that, although I can remember a time when cassette tapes were the preferred vessel for sonic sacrament. (I don’t know that I’ve ever written such a pretentious alliteration. I must use it!) Of course CDs came along and replaced them almost completely by the late 90s and by the time I got to high school iPods were already a thing.

            Technology is great. As I’ve stated before, I can collect more songs in one afternoon online then most folks could in an entire year back in the 90s, but there are drawbacks. With the sheer volume of music now available at the click of a button having a hit single on iTunes has become more important then producing an album of quality work. Even when an artist or group produce a solid body of work, the album as a whole typically gets ignored by most people who only bought the single on iTunes.

            Musicians and music journalists have lamented the disappearance of the album over the past couple even starting grass roots efforts to appreciate albums bizarrely boosting vinyl sales for the first time in almost two decades.

            So who cares? Why bother listening to a whole album when the DJ on the radio has already picked the 1 or two songs worth listening to.

            Well if you’re a casual listener you probably shouldn’t care. Of course if you’re a casual music fan, why are you reading my blog? My God, this crap must be boring as hell for you! Go read a blog about cooking or balloon animal performance art or something.

            For you “Real” (wink, wink) music fans, you should care because every once in a while you’ll find what I like to call a “perfect album.” 10 or 12 songs that seem to fit together perfectly, that leave you going (Insert Keanu Reeves voice) “Whoooohhhh.”

            Rolling Stone has a list of the greatest albums of all time. It’s an interesting read, as much for what didn’t make the cut as for what did.

            I like lists articles like that. They mesh well with my short attention span and sometimes I learn about music I might like.

So here is a short list of a few of my “Perfect” Albums. I’ll steer away from the obvious classics. Nobody needs me to tell them that albums like Nirvana’s Nevermind, Dylan’s Times They are A Changin’, the Stone’s Exile on Main Street or The Velvet Underground’s Loaded are outstanding albums. If you haven’t gotten around to listening to them all the way through I’d recommend them, but I couldn’t possibly add anything meaningful to the already prodigious dialogue compiled on each of them.

            Instead, I’ll mention a few albums that knocked me out the first time I listened to them. Check them out, then share a few of your own “Perfect Albums” in the comment section.

                                                    The Black Keys Attack and Release

            With the released of their two most recent albums albums, Brothers and El Camino, The Black Keys have skyrocketed in popularity, becoming one of the biggest bands in the world on the shoulders of songs like Howlin’ for You and Gold on the Ceiling. Of course me and every other music snob out there is going to tell you we knew them from way back when. That’s why we never get invited to parties or go on dates.

I couldn’t be happier about the Keys success. Their newest albums are pretty tight. They keep the tunes jaunty enough for a pop sensitive crowd, but loose enough to maintain their garage blues roots.

That being said, Attack and Release, the duo’s first collaboration with producer Danger Mouse blows their newest work out of the water. From the first minimalist notes of All You Ever Wanted to blues rockers like I Got Mine and Same Old Thing to the Psycadilic groves of Strange Times Guitarist/Singer Dan Arbach and Drummer Patrick Carney threw everything into this album. You can here it in Arbach’s desperate cries on Lies and defeated moans on Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be.

                                                                    Circle Jerks VI

Just from their name you can tell these punks wanted to get a rise from people. Their name may have been overly vulgar but these guys had a talent for hacking right to the moral woes at the heart of American society circa 1987, then twisting that rusty blade until you promise never to do hard drugs again.

Coming out of the 80s hardcore scene, it’s not surprising these guys worshiped at the church of the straight edge, but even the biggest haired meatheads on the block can’t deny, tunes like I’m Alive and Casualty Vampire just freaking rock.

                                                               Jeff Buckley Grace  

            Jeff Buckley covered Lenard Cohen’s Halleluiah on his debut studio album Grace. It’s a classic that everybody in the history of the world has heard. Sadly, Buckley drowned shortly before he could finish recording his second album, so it would be easy to write him of as a tragic one hit wonder. Easy that is, except for the fact that Buckley fit more awesomeness into that one album then most musicians get out of a long and successful career. (I’m looking at you Nickleback.) This jazz… rock… folk… singer released one of the weirdest most unexpectedly beautiful pop albums of all time. From the vocal virtuosity of Mojo Pin to the grimy baseline of Eternal Life to the spacey bombastic finisher Dream Brother, Jeff displayed a class and diversity completely unique for the 90s. I honestly don’t think I was mature enough to appreciate this album until recently, but It’s been my go to writing album for the past couple of months.

            I could easily go on like this all night, throwing out albums like Rum, Sodemy and the Lash by the Pogues or BRMC’s Howl, but it takes for ever to link all these youtube videos and I have to get up early, so I’m going to call it a night. Don’t just listen to the tracks I’ve linked above, check out the complete albums, and share a few of your personal favorites below.