Desert Island Discs

[JRGoldman]

So I'm sure it's a game that we've all played at one point or another, be it with films, books or records. I think the idea for best of the 90s got me thinking about this, and it seemed like a way less daunting way more casual one thread only type deal that could make for a fun way to silently judge and be judged by our peers. 

 

Feel free to post updates and edit your lists and whatnot. The point is to have fun and give people a glimpse, not actually decide on what 5 records you would want to listen to forever. I always use five as the number, I think because five CD changers were what was around when we would play this over and over.  

 

Anyway, I'll get us started off: 

 

1. Fugazi- The Argument

 

I think 13 songs is probably a better record, but I think that Argument came out at a time in my life where the idea of direct action and ethics really resonated. I would say that this album is more formative for me. 

 

2. Morrissey- Maladjusted

 

I really love Morrissey to an unhealthy degree. I think this record has everything I want in a Moz record; really singable songs, really literate songs, and songs that are patently ridiculous and overly serious. 

 

3. Ghost Mice- All We Got is Each Other

 

This is an album by close friends about a friend that died. I think on a desert island it would make me think of my youth and the people I have loved. 

 

4. Swans- My Father Will Guide me Up a Rope to the Sky

 

This album is really meditative for me. I put it on to just listen to something and relax and be transported. 

 

5. Scarface- The Fix

 

I could go back and forth on this or the Diary. I know I want a Scarface album on here, but choose one is very difficult. I find him to be the most introspective and interesting rapper. I love all his albums. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

In no particular order:

 

1) Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

 

Often imitated, never duplicated. I could make an argument for ANY Sabbath album from the Ozz or Dio years, but this one captures the vibe perfectly. Catch me on another day, and I might go Vol. 4 or MOR, even Heaven & Hell, but today, I'm keeping it old school

 

2) Metallica - Master of Puppets

 

Perfects the sound they started on the first two albums, and went as far as they could with on Justice before simplifying their sound for the '90s. Possibly the peak of their songwriting, and the only album of theirs besides TBA that I could say has near-perfect production values.

 

3) UFO - Strangers in the Night

 

Arguably the greatest live album of all time, with all due respect to Frampton Comes Alive. Every single track is gold, and it's a focused, motivated Michael Schenker on absolute fire.

 

4) Ghost - Opus Eponymous

 

Sure, this albums's only 5 or so years old, and the follow up wasn't quite as charming, but start-to-finish there isn't a bad cut on this album. A modern take on a vintage sound with a dash of Satanic imagery in the vein of Sabbath, BOC, and Mercyful Fate. Can't go wrong. Plus, hey, this is a wrestling board-- who doesn't love a great gimmick?

 

I'm gonna edit later with #5, because I truly, truly cannot pick. I'm leaning toward Zep II or III, but by the same token, there are a couple hardcore albums from high school that I might want to taste purely for nostalgia every now and again, as I fashion a spear with which to slay a beast suitable for eating.

[The Man Known as Dan]

1. The Urge- Too Much Stereo. I grew up with this CD. First one I memorized word for word. Hard to get across what they meant as a St. Louisan that grew up on Alternative Rock.

2. The Gorrilaz- Denon Days. Really, any of there CDs work here. If I had to pick 5 and I was repeating CDs, there first and Plastic Beach make the list, almost for Clint Eastwood and Empire Ants alone.

3 Tool- Aenima.... It annoys me I can't type that right. Probably the CD I've put the most of me into in the last 10 years.

4 They Might be Giants- Flood. If I'm only listening to 5 CDs for the rest of my life, I want some stuff that makes me smile. That's this.

5. Way too many options to nail down a 5th off the top of my head.

[Lamp, broken circa 1988]

I usually give dumb answers to this because like what guarantee is there that the albums will all work forever? so I keep like three of one and two of the other. But today I'll play along.

 

All of my albums are pretty recent, so, eat shit before complaining that i don't have any "classics" on there. Thx! <3 <3

 

Women - Public Strain

three of this one. An album that I have one copy framed on my wall. An album with actual path forward for rock music that, because it's rock music, will go ignored. An album-length rejection of both hard rock and indie rock. An album harder than your house. An album more independent than your house. An album from an alternate history where the Beatles were as popular as they were, but never as popular as Nina Simone. An album that has as much to do with R&B as it does with performance art. An album where the cover could not be more perfect for how it sounds. An album as delicate as a knife. An album as cutting as a hand. An album about a group of friends and family in a weird cowboy town trying to make an album that they liked too. My favorite album. It's all right here if you've never heard it.

 

by the way, the album I usually say I take two of is Enter The Wu-Tang, but today I don't feel that one as much as these.

 

tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
How to make pop songs about radical politics. There are occasional periods where I feel that this album isn't as good as I think it is, and then I'll put it on and it's JUST as good as I thought it was. Garbus' voice is completely amazing, and the instrument choices (uke, saxophones, bass guitar, drums with rare use of crash cymbals) give her enough room to explore and use her full range. This also the soundtrack to a point in my life where I was redoing part of my identity and discovering where I stood via feminism, body politics, the state, patriotism, etc. Some of the songs put the ideas I was having trouble grasping into such impossible power that reading the lyrics for a few of them still makes me choke up. 

 

milo - cavalcade
If an album can be perfect, it's this one. If an album can't be perfect, then there is not a single second on this album that I don't love. I've talked about milo a lot on here in the last few months so I think I'll try to be sparse about this one. This is an album about trying to get on with your life when death encroaches. In his case, it was his Grandfather. As a result, all of the beats are created using songs from his grandfather's favorite band, America, as well as pop culture and samples from more modern songs, from James Blake to Dirty Projectors, and samples from kung fu movies and philosophers and a perfectly placed Curt Hennig promo. This album also stands in the middle ground between his usually hyper-dense text and just raw, explicit ideas and feelings. The very end of the record is devastating, which is good because the rest of it deserves a conclusion that good. The best place to start with milo is actually this song, but it is followed closely by cavalcade.
 

Swans - The Seer

Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Within these two albums is the complete history of western music, from white and black perspectives. The Seer is a looming beast, seemingly unmovable and capable of deep brutality that it cloaks in deceptive light. It goes wherever it wants, and it does whatever it wants, and it wreaks havoc based on ignorance. It does horrible things, to which the only relief could be total annihilation. I could see an argument for it as a singular narrative, but they seem disinterested in that idea. Anyways, Cosmogramma is basically a mirror of this experience. There is a fierce desire to live in the face of human and cosmic suffering, a boundless joy at being lucky enough to receive life. It cheers me up and can make me move no matter how low I am. It is also probably a concept album, but only in that it is an instrumental album full to the brim with meaning and love. These are two sides of the same coin.

Special mentions to "Prom" by Grooms, which is an album I think about constantly despite being kind of unexceptional structurally or thematically. It just has magic in it, I guess.

[Biz Smarkie]

1. Killer Be Killed - Killer Be Killed

 

One of my favorite metal cd's of the past few years. I have never heard a CD where every song is listenable in one way or another. Perfect for when you are raging because you can't find no coconuts.

 

2. Mastodon - Once More Round The Sun

 

Mostly because I don't think I could live too long without hearing "Chimes at Midnight." There are other wonderful songs on this CD, but this song is perfect.

 

3. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

 

Master of Puppets probably has more of my favorite songs, but For Whom The Bell Tolls is in my top 3 songs of all time. Can't live too long without that one.

 

4. High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine

 

Matt Pike's amazing vocals will get you through anything. I promise.

 

5 Black Sabbath - Live in Paris 1970

 

I am not sure if a CD was ever made for this concert, but if it was I would take it for sure. Ozzy puts on the most vocally haunting performance of his career, and all of their best songs from those early days are played.

 

I will also include just a few more for the hell of it.

 

Clutch - Blast Tyrant

Hank III - Straight to Hell

Amon Amarth - Fate of Norns

Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse

 

EDIT: I don't just listen to metal, but I am more metal leaning than anything else. I just honestly can't think of any other style I would rather listen to for long amounts of time. If I had to take non metal cd's with me I would probably choose

 

Run The Jewels

Three Six Mafia - Chapter 2: World Domination

Nirvana - Bleach

The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

Project Pat - Mista Don't Play

UGK - Dirty Money

Edited May 6, 2015 by Biz Smarkie

[Death From Above]

The only three I am absolutely certain about in any draft of this I try:

 

Black Sabbath - s/t

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

Talking Heads - Remain in Light

 

I'm torn in about 100 other directions beyond that, but those three have to be in. The other two I'm just going to wing it and Sophie's Choice at the gates of Hell I guess. I mean, I bought an external hard drive specifically to back up my mp3 collection for a reason.

[Brian Fowler]

Hm... Can't I just have the magic lasting power for my phone and it's 10 or so gigs of music? No?

1 The Beatles - Rubber Soul

The best album in the catalog of the best band that has ever yet walked this earth.

2 Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

The best album, period.

3. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality

Really, what Zakk said about Sabbath, but this is my personal favorite album by my second favorite band ever.

4. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

Yes, I know, Exile on Main Street. I've always preferred Fingers.

5 Cabaret - The New Broadway Cast Recording

My favorite musical.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

Fowler, I'm glad you agreed with my rationale behind Sabbath, but big ups to you on Sticky Fingers. Forget Sugar, forget Knocking, (and this is a big admission) I honestly think Wild Horses is my favorite Stones song. I have actually been thinking about badgering Zakk Wylde on Twitter to do that as a bonus track on Book of Shadows II, which should be coming out in the next year or two.

[Brian Fowler]

It's probably my second favorite Stones song (behind She's So Cold, which is on an otherwise utterly forgettable album)