Best Ever Albums

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:09:41 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/30/2025 03:09

The Joseph Spence archival album is quite nice, really good blues throughout with some Bahamian flavor and lots of covers in the song selection. His guitar playing is a strength, but the vocals are patchy at times, which limits the appeal for me. 65/100.

I really like the Lancelot Layne compilation, and it goes down so smoothly that the 84-minute runtime doesn't feel that long. This is my first time listening to rapso, and I was expecting much more hip-hop in the sound, but I enjoy soca a lot, so I can't complain that it's much more soca than rap. Very danceable and summery throughout, but the standout track for me is the hard-hitting Free South Africa. 70/100.

A good producer compilation can really hit the spot, and Sufferer Sounds by Dennis Bovell is a great one. It pulls songs from a variety of different artists and aliases into a unified whole that demonstrates what a vital reggae producer he was in the 1970s. I'll definitely go back to this when I'm in the mood for dub, and now I want to check out some of his other production credits. 75/100.

What a stellar selection of albums Hayden! It's been fun to explore some Caribbean music, especially while it's bitterly cold and dark here. Hoping more people will chime in soon.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:25:12 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/21/2025 16:25

Checked out three more recently:

Comienzo El Dia is a lovely album, with great vocals and complementary instrumentals. I didn't try to understand the lyrics, but these songs are obviously very well-written and crafted, which gives the lyrics gravitas befitting of a great singer/songwriter record. I assume there are significant political themes based on the genre and Hayden's description. 75/100

Haitian Dances is even more beautiful, and might be the best solo guitar album I've ever heard. A gorgeous and entrancing acoustic classical album. Casseus' guitar tone is outstanding, and reminds me at times of Grant Green's mellower moments, which is high praise. 75/100

Creole Songs Of Haiti is fascinating, with great variety in a compact length. It has a similar feel to other folk musics I've heard while also being unlike anything I've heard. Not a personal favorite on first listen, but it's a very good album. I'm looking forward to listening again, and this has piqued my interest in exploring more Haitian folk. 70/100.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:59:35 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/21/2025 15:59

https://www.besteveralbums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28690

Linking the pre-thread discussion here for archival purposes. II, any more thoughts on these ten albums?

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:52:21 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/21/2025 15:52

Repo wrote:

Hey guys! I think the timing of this is a little off! I'd hate for Hayden's chart to get short shrift simply because this is the time of year that so many of us geek out on the end-of-year lists. I know I personally can't give it the attention I'd give it say in January. Perhaps Hayden's chart should be up for TWO MONTHS to compensate? I know I for one would definitely participate in January, but it's just impossible for me this month.

You can definitely listen and comment after December ends - that's always welcome! I'll decide whether to put up another chart in January or wait until February based on participation in this thread.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

Hayden — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:13:26 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/15/2025 16:13

Repo wrote:

I'll take it 😉
—

I think everyone's swamped. Even myself. I'm going to have to postpone the 40s list as well. I wouldn't blame anyone for not being able to listen to (possibly) 10 new albums in 30 days and form an opinion on them. Just hoping people get around to at least a few 😁

Glad to read your initial response Baystate—
for me, that Beny More album is prime rumba— everything the sound is supposed to be— there isn't tonnes of proper Cuban rumba on wax, but I'd rec releases by Carlos "Patato" Valdés and Mongo Santamaría if you want to check out more—

& I'm glad you enjoyed the Robert Rojer album— the same thing happened to me— I picked it up because it was an early piece from Curacao, but figured it might land in a light 'library music' categorization— ended up truly enjoying it, and I think it's (almost by default?) my favourite waltz record— but the real kick for me was, I figured Robert Rojer was covering eastern European waltzes, but Jacobo Palm (the composer) is also from Curacao!— to think how easy it would have been for these compositions to fall into obscurity... gem to have this sort of work recorded— and it's a lovely record, truly— great sound to it too—

Calypso took me a smidge to enjoy. The first two or three calypso records I ever heard I remember having a slightly difficult time with— I was shocked by some of the crassness, bluntness, inappropriate lyrics, (and, well, some sexism and misogyny) etc, but the genre as a whole grew on me some years later, and I enjoy digging into the depths of what Trinidad put forward throughout the 40s, 50s, 60s & early 70s— lyrically, and based on the era, I think calypso was edgier than hip-hop was in the 80s— I mean, some lines are harsh and stubborn and sharp— if you collected all the music in the world between post-WWII to the late 60s, I don't think you'll find more humour in lyrics anywhere else (well, bar maybe some commonwealth shanties)— not for everyone, course, but I've fondly grown appreciative of the genre's sheer existence— the balance Lord Kitchener made with this record, blending calypso's sometimes blunt immaturity with witty poignancy makes for a standout though— it's a different take on storytelling, and an entertaining take on folklore—

Hope you enjoy the rest of the list 😄

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

Repo — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:13:38 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 12/15/2025 15:13

Hey guys! I think the timing of this is a little off! I'd hate for Hayden's chart to get short shrift simply because this is the time of year that so many of us geek out on the end-of-year lists. I know I personally can't give it the attention I'd give it say in January. Perhaps Hayden's chart should be up for TWO MONTHS to compensate? I know I for one would definitely participate in January, but it's just impossible for me this month.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:29:42 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/14/2025 03:29

I've been listening in the prescribed order and I'm through the first four so far.

The only record I already knew on this chart is Exuma, which is just an incredible, otherworldly, mystical album. Apocalyptic and occult but also warm and inviting. Amazing vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally. It only grew on me this time, and it's perhaps only one or two listens away from breaking into my overall chart. 85/100.

The Beny Moré album is great, tons of fun to listen to. It really creates a tropical vibe and transports you musically. Apparently there's no jazz here exactly but it does have a jazzy feel. Makes me want to check out more from these genres. 75/100.

I wasn't expecting to like an album of piano waltzes and mazurkas so much, but it was surprisingly enjoyable and beautiful. It's interesting to hear classical music with a Caribbean flavor. 70/100.

Calypso is a really fun genre, and I quite enjoyed the Lord Kitchener record. Overall I prefer the songs with social significance to those without, and the double entendre songs are clever too. But sometimes the music is too driven by the humor for my taste. 70/100.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

Hayden — Tue, 2 Dec 2025 11:35:49 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 12/02/2025 16:35

baystateoftheart wrote:

PSA, the version of Blow 'Way on streaming is a full hour longer than the original we're listening to for this project, so feel free to skip the extra 11 tracks on the reissue. Unfortunately the order is all jumbled up, so making a playlist might be necessary.

Thanks for the note Baystate— don't want people being too intimidated by a 2h+ runtime 😐 — the OG version was on Bandcamp until not too recently... no idea why it was pulled. Suffering was available on streaming quite recently too, and it must have been pulled in the last month or two. If anyone wants a copy though, just PM me. No harm in getting bumped for Frantz Casseus' record though— a classic that deserves its flowers.

Anyway, this is very exciting 🥳 — hoping people enjoy diving into this one — it's fun! It'll be fun! Have fun! Do it! —
I've added country of origin, genre, and runtimes—

— Exuma - Exuma (Bahamas, junkanoo/goombay, 38:41)
— El Inigualable - Benny Moré (Cuba, rumba/bolero, 34:56)
— Antillean Music: Jacobo Palm Toká Pa Robert Rojer - Robert Rojer (Curacao, waltz, 32:37)
— Sings Calypsos (With And Without Social Significance) - Lord Kitchener (Trinidad & Tobago, calypso, 35:00)
— Comienzo El Día - Noel Nicola (Cuba, nueva trova, 31:33)
— Haitian Dances - Frantz Casseus (Haiti, classical, 22:04)
— Creole Songs Of Haiti - Emerante De Pradines & Michele Dejean Group (Haiti, Creole folk, 21:33)
— Encore: Unheard Recordings Of Bahamian Guitar And Singing - Joseph Spence (Bahamas, blues, 34:35)
— Blow 'Way - Lancelot Layne (Trinidad & Tobago, calypso/rapso, 84:08 )
— Sufferer Sounds - Dennis Bovell (Barbados/England, dub, 66:39)

If you've heard zero of these, I'd say 8 of these albums are pretty easy to knock-out, and Blow 'Way and Sufferer Sounds go down pretty smooth if you set aside some time on a Saturday afternoon— somewhere relaxing, course— I've also reordered the albums in the order I think they should be listened to, but that's just a personal rec—

In prep for this, this morning I listened to albums by Beny More and Noel Nicola that I hadn't yet heard 😁 — both were good... strange neither artist quite gets their dues — they epitomize two identifiable sides of the same coin of Cuban music, and they've just never really landed recognition outside of their home country— Noel Nicola's sound in particular is significant to representing the Cuban revolution, and More hit bolero out of the park— hoping everyone here enjoys those two—

Exuma is Exuma. He is the Obeah man. There's a song on this album called You Don't Know What's Going On, which is about how you don't know what's going on. Exuma knows though. He is the Obeah man. Playing Dambala and Mama Loi, Papa Loi on hi-fi speakers just to feel how colossal the mix on the kick is is also very recommended. Mama Loi, Papa Loi is a gem. Never understood why it's underappreciated. Might be the best track here—

Just a quick note on the Robert Rojer record— it's waltz from Curacao, written by Jacobo Palm, another Curacaoan— and it's lovely— go listen to a waltz record— how little we ever do that... why not?—

Selecting the calypso cut to make the top 10 was difficult— there are some great, maybe more obvious, classic picks from Wilmoth Houdini, Mighty Sparrow, Lord Melody, Lord Invader, etc— but this somewhat unassuming early 70s record by Lord Kitchener (give-or-take 15 albums deep into his career) immediately stood out to me as a showcase of the genre— it's a great record musically and lyrically, which always differentiates itself from the weight of reggae's influence at the time— yet as funny, raunchy and bold as he can be, it also manages to be a quiet and sophisticated record— When A Man Is Poor has this post-colonial cafe-in-the-rain atmosphere, and Piccadilly Folks is somewhat likewise— I think he just wanted to be heard a little differently on this one. Now, won't lie, I'd love to remaster the entire thing. The existing recordings aren't the best mix or quality in the world (it does somewhat come across like it was recorded 10 years prior to when it was), but I hope that adds to a bit of the charm— I feel it's a record that can take you elsewhere, and an easy rec for people who haven't ever clicked with calypso—

When I was doing my deep dive on the blues— primarily digging in the USA (99%), focusing on the delta, some Chicago, piedmont, etc— of which, I still do, and in the past five or so years it remains by go-to whenever I play guitar— I couldn't shake this one guy... Joseph Spence— the one dude outside the USA who seemed to understand the blues just as well as any legend from Mississippi— yet, by all means, examine how he's playing— chart it, learn the structure, scales, etc— as familiar as it sounds, with undertones of delta blues and calypso, he's doing blues in a way nobody else had done, nor has done since— give the man one bar, and you know it's him— gutturally frog-like often intelligible mumble-humming over what near sounds like two guitars at the same time, finishing a line, not finishing a line, not caring if the line is finished, you know how the line ends, just listen to another lick, etc— also, it's December, so remember, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town— over the years, Spence has become one of my favourite recording artists, and I'm thankful for every drop on wax we got from him—

Dennis Bovell is someone the world should know just a little bit more about than we currently do. You might know him as Blackbeard— he produced all the works of Linton Kwesi Johnson's prime— and had a phenomenal sound when he was producing in the mid-70s to mid-80s— but he just never quite broke through with a smash record— luckily, recently, we now have this great comp highlighting his career, and Game Of Dubs with Janet Kay is an exceptional stand-out— production's ace everywhere—

The two Haitian records are staples of the country. The Casseus record is a very easy, enjoyable listen that should appeal to practically everyone, but I have a feeling the album on the board that will be enjoyed the least will be Creole Songs Of Haiti, which is not an album with universal appeal. However, it acts as a document, and an invaluable one—

&, as always, if you like these, dive further past the top 10 😁 — Puerto Rico & Guadeloupe as just around the corner!

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

LedZep — Tue, 2 Dec 2025 04:46:57 GMT

Author: LedZep

Posted: 12/02/2025 09:46

Here's the playlist for Blow 'Way.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5w8F4oKf2fnHfbRWdhbBwf?si=2d3cfd5cf9814e0d

Encore is a really solid, unique take on acoustic blues with Carribean influences. Liked it a lot, it landed on my 2021 chart. Spence is such a weirdly charismatic vocalist and guitarist.

Bandcamp wrote:

'Encore' is a new album produced from previously unheard archival recordings by the legendary Bahamian guitarist Joseph Spence, made in 1965 at the height of his career. Spence’s radically innovative guitar style transformed elements of Bahamian traditional music into adventurous, joyful improvisations and influenced players worldwide. His powerful singing stemmed directly from the rhyming tradition created by Bahamian sponge fishermen early in the 20th century. The music is punctuated by Spence’s unique, sometimes otherworldly vocalizations including humming, short bursts of lyrics, and near-scat singing. Some of the recordings include singing by Spence’s sister Edith Pinder and her family members Raymond and Geneva Pinder. Producer Peter K. Siegel captured these performances at Spence’s only New York concert, at the performer’s cottage in Nassau, Bahamas, and at Siegel’s apartment in Manhattan.

Blow ’Way deserves another listen, but my feelings about the compilation are mixed. It’s bloated even in the shortened version, and some of the songs don’t do much for me. On the other hand, the highs are incredible, and I like having a full overview of someone’s career, activism, and life through a compilation like this, even if some of the songs aren’t all that great (imo). Layne kickstarted the Rapso genre and social movement, and I absolutely love the idea of combining poetry, spoken word, protest lyricism, and an almost proto-rap or Jamaican deejay-like approach with the Trinidadian and Caribbean styles of calypso, soca, and folk, as well as American soul and funk. (Although deejay and hip hop cultures come from different backgrounds than Layne, but it's still fun to see some of the same ideas used in different musical context across the world). The album is way cooler than it is actually good, at least based on my first impression.

As a side note, I’ve heard of Lancelot Layne before, and I’ve probably even played a few of the songs, but I cannot for the life of me remember when or why. The only other band I've heard of before is (predictably) Exuma, a personal fave. Fantastic top 10, another masterful Hayden chart and I'm very much looking forward to the other 7 picks.

Re: Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 23:07:17 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/02/2025 04:07

PSA, the version of Blow 'Way on streaming is a full hour longer than the original we're listening to for this project, so feel free to skip the extra 11 tracks on the reissue. Unfortunately the order is all jumbled up, so making a playlist might be necessary.

Get To Know A Top 10: December 2025 Thread - Hayden

baystateoftheart — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 21:41:56 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 12/02/2025 02:41

Welcome back everyone! For our fifteenth poll, Hayden's chart Doubles & Conch won by one vote. Here are the ten albums up for discussion during the month of December:

1. Encore: Unheard Recordings Of Bahamian Guitar And Singing - Joseph Spence
2. Blow 'Way - Lancelot Layne
3. Creole Songs Of Haiti - Emerante De Pradines & Michele Dejean Group
4. Exuma - Exuma
5. Comienzo El Día - Noel Nicola
6. Sufferer Sounds - Dennis Bovell
7. Antillean Music: Jacobo Palm Toká Pa Robert Rojer - Robert Rojer
8. Sings Calypsos (With And Without Social Significance) - Lord Kitchener
9. El Inigualable - Benny Moré
11. Haitian Dances - Frantz Casseus

[Note: Suffering by Midnight Groovers (#10) has been skipped due to lack of availability and replaced by the following album on the chart.]

As always, you can listen to as many of these as you have time and energy for - no pressure to get to know all ten well. This discussion also doesn't have to take place in order, because different people will be listening to them at different times.

Drop your musings, analysis, etc. here as the inspiration hits you. And where possible, interact with what other people have been saying for a more interesting discussion.

If you do get a chance to listen to all ten, you can then vote for your favorite in the attached poll.

Last but not least, here are the past threads if you want to go back and listen to stuff you missed:

1. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20004 [April 2018 - Luigii]
2. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20126 [May 2018 - Repo]
3. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20249 [June 2018 - Jimmy Dread]
4. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20364 [July 2018 - Hayden]
5. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20454 [August 2018 - RockyRaccoon]
6. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20890 [December 2018 - SquishypuffDave]
7. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21003 [January 2019 - Tap]
8. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21394 [April 2019 - dihansse]
9. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21512 [May 2019 - Tha1ChiefRocka]
10. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21594 [June 2019 - Lowkey]
11. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22184 [November 2019 - revolver94]
12. https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22446 [January 2020 - baystateoftheart]
13. https://www.besteveralbums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24910 [December 2021 - Anti]
14. https://www.besteveralbums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24989 [January 2022 - Jameth]