Best Ever Albums

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:13:53 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/21/2019 19:13

DelBocaVista wrote:

Celebratory?

That's an idea as well

At the time I made this list (originally back on listology) I had not yet put together genre lists. Im not sure how useful or necessary it is with those in play (and more genres to add).

On the other hand, I think it is a good thing to highlight the different emotional types too, including positivity. Back on listology I had a handful of these which Id probably like to do again... but there is also: how many lists do I want to juggle? Should I put them all in one list/diary or would that be too much and mitigate discussion/recommendations?

Third world problems man... 🤔

The original intent of such lists was to separate them "emotionally/conceptually" so listeners could look at them from that angle too, alike expressive types listed among each other -- regardless of genre classification, regardless of whether Rock, Jazz, Classical which are all secondary to "expressive purpose/type". It can be helpful in jumping from Rock to Classical or Jazz to know these fundamental expressive similarities between a favorite and something brand new. It helps one get started on the right foot in terms of how to listen and will tend to lead one more efficiently into assimilating the work.

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

DelBocaVista — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 05:32:25 GMT

Author: DelBocaVista

Posted: 06/21/2019 09:32

Celebratory?

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 23:19:46 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/21/2019 03:19

sethmadsen wrote:

Glad this got bumped. Positivity is awesome.

Also great selections.

Thanks!

Undecided but may change the list to something like "Best Highly Melodic & Energetic Albums/Classical Works".

So many walk a fine line between 50/50 optimism and ambiguity or other emotional expression(s). That new title keeps with the main purpose while also welcoming more Rock -- which, particularly, has a very low percentage of great works of an optimistic nature probably at least in part because it is not the main purpose of the genre, which is based in anarchy/disagreement/rebellion etc... and almost all of its great composers are aligned more to this MO. You could make a similar case for Classical post-Beethoven (who changed the tendencies towards personal and penetrating psychologocal expressions) and Jazz post Miles Davis (who turned the expressions into a more haunted, downcast or introspective emotional sound) and (not long after) the rebellion/anarchy and expressionist theatrical gestures/onslaught of free and experimental jazz (Ornette Coleman, Coltrane, etc). Thats all a very simplified picture of course...

So changing the title and requirements some would open the selections up some more to artists/works that were very melodic/energetic but perhaps not so optimistic... Under consideration...

I also might just scrap it altogether even if I do agree that positive works (when done well) have as much artistic value/impact as any other expression.

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

RoundTheBend — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 22:23:28 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 06/21/2019 02:23

Glad this got bumped. Positivity is awesome.

Also great selections.

Re: Best Upbeat & Optimistic Albums/Classical Music Work

AfterHours — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 13:41:49 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/17/2019 17:41

mianfei wrote:

I’ll give my thoughts on whether these records (only those with which I am familiar) would qualify.

Turangalila Symphony - Olivier Messiaen (1948) – probably
Bitches Brew - Miles Davis (1969) – no
Fare Forward Voyagers - John Fahey (1973) – no
This Timeless Turning - Sky Cries Mary (1994) – no
Crazy Rhythms - Feelies (1980) – definitely
Watermark - Enya (1988) – probably not
Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy - Brian Eno (1974) – probably not
Fear of Music - Talking Heads (1979) – probably not
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971) – probably
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983) – probably
77 - Talking Heads (1977) – probably
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle - Bruce Springsteen (1973) – definitely
Deserter’s Songs - Mercury Rev (1998) – probably not
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow (1996) – definitely

Of the three to which I said a definite no, Fare Forward Voyagers is certainly nothing upbeat in its tone, being dark acoustic guitar. Bitches Brew has a somewhat similar effect, even compared to Miles’ subsequent electric albums. This Timeless Turning – which I must say is massively ignored on this site – is deeply oceanic and dark like no other record. There are certainly a lot of ecstatic moments on This Timeless Turning, but they are almost all related to moments of touching and feeling humanity’s darkest depths.

Thank you for those recommendations. Until you bumped it, I hadnt reviewed or updated this list for quite some time. I mostly agree with your selections and their qualifications. Virtually all of them (including Feelies and Springsteen) have darker/ambiguous undertones that make the choice perhaps less obvious or a bit more split-down-the-middle than it at first seems. I probably concur that Bitches Brew and Fare Forward Voyagers are a bit farther in the other direction and not upbeat enough to overcome this.

I am not actually sure if Im going to keep this list hanging around though... or, if I do, I may simplify or change the requirements so that its a little clearer what should be added.

I also agree with you that This Timeless Turning is very under-represented, but sites such as this tend to follow pretty closely to the more widely accepted and more mainstream canons in most respects. But, with everything at one's fingertips in this internet age, I do think there is a very gradual changing of the guard occurring among music enthusiasts (maybe not yet with Sky Cries Mary but with Rock in general) ...

Re: Best Upbeat & Optimistic Albums/Classical Music Work

mianfei — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 08:16:48 GMT

Author: mianfei

Posted: 06/17/2019 12:16

I’ll give my thoughts on whether these records (only those with which I am familiar) would qualify.

Turangalila Symphony - Olivier Messiaen (1948) – probably
Bitches Brew - Miles Davis (1969) – no
Fare Forward Voyagers - John Fahey (1973) – no
This Timeless Turning - Sky Cries Mary (1994) – no
Crazy Rhythms - Feelies (1980) – definitely
Watermark - Enya (1988) – probably not
Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy - Brian Eno (1974) – probably not
Fear of Music - Talking Heads (1979) – probably not
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971) – probably
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983) – probably
77 - Talking Heads (1977) – probably
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle - Bruce Springsteen (1973) – definitely
Deserter’s Songs - Mercury Rev (1998) – probably not
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow (1996) – definitely

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Wed, 4 Oct 2017 18:20:49 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 10/04/2017 22:20

Updated for the time being (very far from complete, several works under consideration) ^^^

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 19:59:47 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 07/26/2017 23:59

Updated through 7-26-17 ^^^ Still many possible additions under strong consideration, as listed below the main list

Re: Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Wed, 7 Jun 2017 15:08:50 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/07/2017 19:08

Updated through 6/7/17 ... Adjusted various placings to now parallel my most current "Greatest Classical Music Works" list, plus added more recent additions that hadn't been included here yet. Also, I added several selections to the "Already rated high enough, but currently under consideration as to whether "qualified" for this list or not" section.

Best Upbeat/Optimistic Albums & Classical Works

AfterHours — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:42:38 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 02/22/2017 00:42

IN PROGRESS

NOTE: To qualify, the selections must be both upbeat and optimistic a majority of their running time. The work can certainly express other emotional states too, but both "upbeat" and "optimistic" should be its prominent features, if even just on the surface. As but one example, some of Beethoven's most upbeat and optimistic works tend to have an underlying violent percussive or forceful quality (such as Symphonies 7, 8, and much of #5) -- so, even as they are emotionally laced with these further layers, they are still prominently featuring both "upbeat" and "optimistic" music. Many of these selections have such additional layers beyond their surface emotional content.

Recommendations and suggestions welcome. For my criteria and recommendations page, go here: http://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15503

9.5/10
Symphony No. 9 in C Major "The Great" - Franz Schubert (1826)

9/10
Glagolitic Mass - Leos Janacek (1926)
Goldberg Variations - Johann Sebastian Bach (1741)
Symphony No. 41 in C Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1788)
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major "Eroica" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1804)
Violin Concertos Nos. 1-4, "The Four Seasons" - Antonio Vivaldi (1723)

8.5/10
The River - Bruce Springsteen (1980)
Symphony No. 6 in F Major "Pastoral" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1808)
Symphony No. 7 in A Major - Ludwig van Beethoven (1812)
Even the Sounds Shine - Myra Melford (1994)
Symphony No. 3 in C Minor "Organ" - Camille Saint-Saens (1886)
Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1788)
Symphony No. 38 in D major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)
Symphony No. 35 in D major "Haffner" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1788)
Symphony No. 36 in C major "Linzer" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1783)
Symphony No. 4 in A major "Italian" - Felix Mendelssohn (1831)
Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major - Franz Schubert (1816)
Piano Quintet in A Major "Trout" - Franz Schubert (1819)
Symphony No. 102 in B flat major - Franz Joseph Haydn (1794)
Symphony No. 8 in F Major - Ludwig van Beethoven (1812)

8/10
Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Major "Archduke" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1811)
Brilliant Corners - Thelonious Monk (1956)
Octet for Strings in E-flat major - Felix Mendelssohn (1825)
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785)
Easily Slip into Another World - Henry Threadgill (1987)
Piano Concerto - Michael Nyman (1993)
Erpland - Ozric Tentacles (1990)
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor - Johann Sebastian Bach (1734)
Underwater Moonlight - Soft Boys (1980)
Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785)
Oiseaux Exotiques - Olivier Messiaen (1956)
Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)
Valentyne Suite - Colosseum (1969)
Piano Concerto in F - George Gershwin (1925)
Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)
Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major "Jeunehomme" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1777)
Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1775)
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major "The Turkish" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1775)
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1775)
Frizzle Fry - Primus (1990)
The Band - The Band (1969)
Future Days - Can (1973)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major - Dmitri Shostakovich (1957)
Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor - Johann Sebastian Bach (circa 1718-1720)
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D Minor - Johann Sebastian Bach (circa 1717-1723)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major - Johann Sebastian Bach (1718)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major - Johann Sebastian Bach (1721)

7.5/10
NOTE: The 7.5/10s do not currently several Rock/Jazz albums that I still need to revisit and determine if they're 7.3+. It also does not currently include the many Classical Works that would be listed if I extended my Classical ratings/entries below 7.8/10
Tijuana Moods - Charles Mingus (1957)
A Picture of Nectar - Phish (1992)
Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus (1959)
The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monae (2010)
Orgy in Rhythm, Vol. 1 & 2 - Art Blakey (1957)
Jazz in Silhouette - Sun Ra (1958)
Return To Cookie Mountain - TV On The Radio (2006)
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)
Bromst - Dan Deacon (2009)
The College Dropout - Kanye West (2004)
White Soul - Green (1989)
Skylarking - XTC (1986)
Marry Me - St Vincent (2007)
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill (1998)
Odelay - Beck (1996)
Light as a Feather - Chick Corea (1972)
New York, NY - George Russell (1959)
Bellybutton - Jellyfish (1990)
Murmur - R.E.M (1983)
They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants (1986)

Probable Inclusions Once Rated:
The Well-Tempered Clavier (Books I & II) - Johann Sebastian Bach (1722; 1742)
Symphony No. 101 "The Clock" - Jospeh Haydn
Symphony No. 104 - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 36 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 100 - Joseph Haydn
"Various Piano Concertos between Nos. 9 & 27" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major)
The Marriage of Figaro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Already rated high enough, but currently under consideration as to whether "qualified" for this list or not:
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor "Choral" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1824)
Symphony No. 9 in C Major "The Great" - Franz Schubert (1826)
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor - Ludwig van Beethoven (1808)
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World" - Antonin Dvorak (1893)
Turangalila Symphony - Olivier Messiaen (1948)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor - Robert Schumann (1841; 1851)
Piano Quintet in F minor - Johannes Brahms (1864)
Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major - Antonin Dvorak (1887)
Symphony No. 3 "The Camp Meeting" - Charles Ives (1910)
Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1789)
Piano Concerto in G major - Maurice Ravel (1931)
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)
Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (circa 1788-1791)
Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven (circa 1800-1803)
Piano Trio No. 1 in D major "Ghost" (aka, "Piano Trio No. 4 in D Major" or "Piano Trio No. 5 in D Major") - Ludwig van Beethoven (1809)
Diabelli Variations - Ludwig van Beethoven (1823)
The Planets - Gustav Holst (1916)
Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky (1874)
Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major "Waldstein" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1804)
Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major "Triple Concerto" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1803)
Bitches Brew - Miles Davis (1969)
Art & Aviation - Jane Ira Bloom (1992)
Ptah, the El Daoud - Alice Coltrane (1970)
Extensions - McCoy Tyner (1970)
Conference of the Birds - Dave Holland (1972)
Let My Children Hear Music - Charles Mingus (1972)
Silent Tongues - Cecil Taylor (1974)
Fare Forward Voyagers - John Fahey (1973)
Symphony For Improvisers - Don Cherry (1966)
Blood Sutra - Vijay Iyer (2003)
Chasing Paint - Jane Ira Bloom (2003)
The Timeless Turning - Sky Cries Mary (1994)
Another Mind - Hiromi Uehara (2003)
Fractured Fairy Tales - Tim Berne (1989)
Before We Were Born - Bill Frisell (1988)
Bricolage - Amon Tobin (1997)
World Without Rules - Paul Haslinger (1996)
Instrumentals - The Nels Cline Singers (2002)
Bring Yr Camera - The President (Wayne Horvitz) (1988)
Blues For the New Millenium - Marcus Roberts (1997)
Vision Created Newsun - Boredoms (1999)
In Our Lifetime - Dave Douglas (1994)
Crazy Rhythms - Feelies (1980)
Impressions - John Coltrane (1961)
Complete Communion - Don Cherry (1965)
Presents Charles Mingus - Charles Mingus (1960)
Myths Of The Near Future Part One - Mo Boma (1994)
Oh Yeah - Charles Mingus (1962)
Watermark - Enya (1988)
Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy - Brian Eno (1974)
The Red Quartets - Jane Ira Bloom (1999)
Fear of Music - Talking Heads (1979)
Ultravox! - Ultravox (1977)
Legend of Ai Glatson - Leroy Jenkins (1978)
Far Cry - Eric Dolphy (1960)
Point of Departure - Andrew Hill (1964)
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971)
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983)
77 - Talking Heads (1977)
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle - Bruce Springsteen (1973)
Deserter's Songs - Mercury Rev (1998)
Freedom Suite - Sunny Rollins (1958)
Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins (1956)
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow (1996)
Gallowsbird's Bark - Fiery Furnaces (2003)
Harmonious Creature - Sarah Manning (2014)
Telephone Free Landslide Victory - Camper Van Beethoven (1985)
True Blue - Tina Brooks (1960)
Giant Steps - John Coltrane (1959)
Jazz Mood - Yusef Lateef (1957)
My Favorite Things - John Coltrane (1961)
Blue Train - John Coltrane (1957)
Crosscurrents - Lennie Tristano (1949)
Liberian Suite - Duke Ellington (1949)
Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis (1950)
The Third World - Herbie Nichols (1955)
Western Suite - Jimmy Giuffre (1958)
Free Form - Joe Harriott (1960)
Jazz Abstractions - Gunther Schuller [John Lewis] (1960)
Free Fall - Jimmy Giuffre (1962)
Movement - Joe Harriott (1963)
Black Fire - Andrew Hill (1963)
Speak No Evil - Wayne Shorter (1964)
Fuchsia Swing Song - Sam Rivers (1964)
Wilde Senoritas - Irene Schweizer (1976)
Citi Movement - Wynton Marsalis (1992)