Best Ever Albums

Re: Your First Time.

Applerill — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:22:51 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 08/21/2012 14:22

Robert Anton Wilson wrote:

I can't recommend you any music that will blow you away because that is too personal but I can reassure you that that feeling can come back. Not often but it does every once in a while.

The first time it happened to me was the first time I listened to "A Night at the Opera" because I already knew all of the Queen hits by then but had never experienced them as an album. Also, If you do not count the Billy Joel albums, that was only the third album I bought with my own money. That blown-away feeling did not come back again until the 90's when new bands broke unto the scene such as Pearl Jam, The Tragically Hip and Stone Temple Pilots all at once (I was slow on the uptake of Nirvana because they were too hip back then). What great time that was. The next time came at the end of the 90s with Aenima by Tool. Then it happened recently again when I discovered Muse and the Diablo Swing Orchestra through BEA.

Given the number of albums I have listened to and how much time I have been spending listening to music for decades now, this is really not a lot. But when it happens, it is really good. Nearly as good as sex.

It also often happens in concert when a song you think you know just sounds so much more impressive live. I I was blown away when Peter Gabriel played the song Secret World in the tour of the same name or when I saw Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young perform Almost Cut My Hair. Two songs I find only slightly below average when listening to at home but that just blew me away in person.

Keep hope, it happens again. But you cannot force it or even predict when it will happen. To me it mostly happened when I did not expect it.

What about Tori? 😢

Re: Your First Time.

Xavygravy — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:44:04 GMT

Author: Xavygravy

Posted: 08/21/2012 05:44

I haven't quite reached that stage yet; there are plenty of potentially fantastic albums I've yet to hear.

~13% of the albums I've heard I'd call 'mindblowing', and whilst that figure will diminish over time (less and less really great releases remaining), it's still quite a lot.

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:58:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/21/2012 01:58

Recently, Down Colourful Hill, Blueberry Boat and every time I listen to Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:39:47 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/21/2012 01:39

I've been lucky to get blown away on first listen a few times these past few years, most memorable of which include Since I Left You and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy; the first time I Since I Left You, I had no idea what to expect-didn't even know what genre it was-and I was so amazed half-way through the title track I sat down to listen to the rest of the album with no distraction; first time I heard MBDTF, I wasn't a fan of Kanye but the album fit the college experience so well that all of my friends (disparate music tastes) all told each other to buy it immediately the day it came out even though we had all already bought it.

Others recent ones include: Dopesmoker, This Is Happening, Kindred, Milk Eyed Mender

Black Saint and the Sinner Lady and You Forgot It In People got me quickly, but not first listen

my very first time was probably Rage Against the Machine or In Utero

Re: Your First Time.

pearljammer13 — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:09:20 GMT

Author: pearljammer13

Posted: 08/21/2012 01:09

I absolutely love when I listen to an album for the first time and it blows me away. I get super excited when I can tell it's going to be an album I listen to and cherish forever. It's rare to know that on first listen, but usually by the 4th or 5th time I have a pretty clear idea how I feel. It truly is an amazing feeling when music blows you away like that.

For example I still remember the first time I listened to Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins, and at the end of each song I just kept saying "wow, that was awesome". By the end of the first listen I was astounded at how much I enjoyed it and immediately wanted to listen again and buy the rest of their albums. It's such a great event for a music lover when you find a gem that you can tell will be a part of your life forever. I guess that sounds kind of weird, but if anyone would understand that it's bea members.

Re: Your First Time.

Hayden — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:14:25 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 08/20/2012 21:14

Necharsian wrote:

See I don't really think like that... I don't remember where I was when I realized I loved Kamelot or B&S. I don't really hold onto my first listens, but rather I get excited about the next listen. I mean do you like Funeral less now that you've heard it more than once?

I've had some crazy experiences listening to Hospice or Ultima Thumee or Selected Ambient Works (not necessarily first listen but whatevs). The next listen is as mysterious to me as the first. Who knows how I'm going to feel? Or what affect its going to have on me.

So I guess the "discovery" part of music doesn't really mean as much to me. It's the next one that I'm excited for more.

Ok. We just have different brains 😜

And I like Funeral more and more each listen. 😄

And I don't really know if this thread is really about 'albums' but more of music as an experience, as a general, not just the small pieces of it.

Re: Your First Time.

Necharsian — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:39:12 GMT

Author: Necharsian

Posted: 08/20/2012 20:39

Hayden wrote:

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:10:15 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/20/2012 20:10

But maybe on the other hand, if you discover a lot of awesome stuff late in your life, you might regret that you haven't discovered it earlier on. I often see a lot of comments like "where has this been all my life?" and "why didn't I listen to this earlier?"

Re: Your First Time.

Hayden — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:32:52 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 08/20/2012 19:32

Necharsian wrote:

I don't get it. Are you saying you don't think that anything will blow your mind ever again? I'm constantly finding music that does that. Whether it be new ones or old.

No, no. I'm sure something will. Just not sure when or what it'll be.

This topic is more about the fact that you'll never 'discover' music again, like, that feelings gone. That's what I'm searching for.

Like, imagine the first metal album you ever enjoyed, or the first time you found out about Belle & Sebastian, or something. Those sort of things.

Iunno. It's just a sad topic for me, and I thought I'd bring it up 🙁

Also, to CalamityCat, that was a great story 😄 One of my fondest memory of Funeral (more Wake Up) was when I was walking back from a grocery store listening to it on my ipod, and nearing the end I actually found myself crying. And I don't cry that much. It was weird, but I figured the song just connected to me 😄

I'm glad to see some other interesting replies in this thread 😄

Re: Your First Time.

Necharsian — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:23:22 GMT

Author: Necharsian

Posted: 08/20/2012 19:23

Patman360 wrote:

Probably should've got my point across better, what I mean is that it's not often an album blows my mind first time listening, but I love it when I find these albums and I'm sure I'll stumble across more of them in the future! Old and new as you said! :D

Oh sorry I meant Hayden not you 😄

Although I don't think that's what he meant either.

Re: Your First Time.

Patman360 — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:06:23 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 08/20/2012 19:06

Necharsian wrote:

I don't get it. Are you saying you don't think that anything will blow your mind ever again? I'm constantly finding music that does that. Whether it be new ones or old.

Re: Your First Time.

Necharsian — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:51:17 GMT

Author: Necharsian

Posted: 08/20/2012 18:51

I don't get it. Are you saying you don't think that anything will blow your mind ever again? I'm constantly finding music that does that. Whether it be new ones or old.

Re: Your First Time.

Patman360 — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:13:37 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 08/20/2012 18:13

I agree that sometimes it takes a while for an album to sink in (Daydream Nation, Closer, Ys, Either/Or, Different Class all took ages for me but I love them now!), but the 2 albums that hit me straight away were Doolittle and Loveless (Both are still number 1 and 2 on my chart with over a year!) Strangely I first heard both albums on the same day (I was in the library studying for my end of school exams and went to the local music store during a break, needless to say my study stopped from there 😕 ), I'd never heard anything like them and they blew my mind the first time and still do, by the end of the week I'd heard both albums a ridiculous amount of times!
I'm still young though and have only listened to about 300 albums, hopefully I'll find some albums that hit me and stand out straight away again in the future! 😎

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:50:09 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/20/2012 17:50

CalamityCat wrote:

I wish there was a service that could erase your memory of an album completely, but remember that it was one of your favourite albums to listen to - that way you could discover it again.
Shame it probably won't happen, but instead we rely on new music from new artists to do the same I suppose.

I can see where you're coming from. Personally I prefer keeping the experience of albums that are great to me, or else my frame of mind could change on future albums I deem great, the context changes in a way, and I could end up not enjoying them at all where I would have otherwise found myself deeply immersed.

Re: Your First Time.

gussteivi — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:14:43 GMT

Author: gussteivi

Posted: 08/20/2012 17:14

Yourselfisntsteam wrote:

funny, I've been listening to master of reality a lot lately as well, and recently added it to my chart

That's, what, 5 albums we both like now? Give it time and our charts will be identical.

Re: Your First Time.

Robert Anton Wilson — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:09:04 GMT

Author: Robert Anton Wilson

Posted: 08/20/2012 17:09

I can't recommend you any music that will blow you away because that is too personal but I can reassure you that that feeling can come back. Not often but it does every once in a while.

The first time it happened to me was the first time I listened to "A Night at the Opera" because I already knew all of the Queen hits by then but had never experienced them as an album. Also, If you do not count the Billy Joel albums, that was only the third album I bought with my own money. That blown-away feeling did not come back again until the 90's when new bands broke unto the scene such as Pearl Jam, The Tragically Hip and Stone Temple Pilots all at once (I was slow on the uptake of Nirvana because they were too hip back then). What great time that was. The next time came at the end of the 90s with Aenima by Tool. Then it happened recently again when I discovered Muse and the Diablo Swing Orchestra through BEA.

Given the number of albums I have listened to and how much time I have been spending listening to music for decades now, this is really not a lot. But when it happens, it is really good. Nearly as good as sex.

It also often happens in concert when a song you think you know just sounds so much more impressive live. I I was blown away when Peter Gabriel played the song Secret World in the tour of the same name or when I saw Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young perform Almost Cut My Hair. Two songs I find only slightly below average when listening to at home but that just blew me away in person.

Keep hope, it happens again. But you cannot force it or even predict when it will happen. To me it mostly happened when I did not expect it.

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:41:10 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/20/2012 15:41

I remember I had listened to Funeral by Arcade Fire a couple times before but it just kinda sinked in the background, I was more fussed over The Beatles at the time.

I walk to my Saturday job and it takes about 22 minutes either way, so I'll usually listen to the majority of an album in that time. I'm always reluctant to go to work, but the music often keeps my mind of it, and I sometimes look forward to hearing the rest of the album on my way home.

Couple months went by and I thought I should give Funeral another try because I knew this time I would be focusing on just the music - so I could hear why people were fussing over it. It was a cold, frosty morning but the sun was out in full shine, and I remember putting on my earphones and hearing the very beginning of Tunnels for what really was the first time, smiling when I heard the subtle strings come in. I could hardly conceal my happiness when the song builds to the giant climax when Butler sings "spread the ashes of the colors over this heart of mine" and the wooing of the beginning riff begins - magical hearing that for the first time. Then hearing the drums and the muffled guitar at the beginning of Laika after Tunnels had finished, great moment. But most importantly I remember in Une Année Sans Lumière when they all sing "Hey" just the once, a dove flew from out a tree across the sky in the park. Small and a bit stupid, I know, but just for those few minutes it felt almost as though the album was a soundtrack to my life, and that everything was going to be better from then on.

I wish there was a service that could erase your memory of an album completely, but remember that it was one of your favourite albums to listen to - that way you could discover it again.
Shame it probably won't happen, but instead we rely on new music from new artists to do the same I suppose.

Re: Your First Time.

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:28:48 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/20/2012 15:28

gussteivi wrote:

I'd say the opposite actually. For me, that appears when you listen to the right album at the right time.

I listened to Master of Reality by Black Sabbath for the first time a few days ago and was blown away, something that most likely wouldn't have happened a year or even six months ago, because I wouldn't have been open for the experience it offers.

But I very rarely get blown away on first listen, it's usually the third or fourth or so, the only other occasion I can remember was Odessey and Oracle (which also probably wouldn't have had such an impact on me had I heard it a year earlier than I did).

And for Hayden: maybe it's time to listen to some classical music?

Funny, I've been listening to master of reality a lot lately as well, and recently added it to my chart 🤣

Good point, that is all agreeable, its just hayden did say:

Quote:

You may never be 'blown away' from listening to an album on first listen?

So I was thinking specifically of those first time listen "this is amazing" experiences and what causes them...at least with that first point.

Though it is probably true returning to something with a different perspective, more knowledge, or just taking time to absorb an album often leeds to revelatory experiences.

Re: Your First Time.

revolver94 — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:13:48 GMT

Author: revolver94

Posted: 08/20/2012 15:13

gussteivi wrote:

Exact same for me, it takes a while for good music to hit me (in most cases, there are exceptions. Notably "Funeral" and "The Joshua Tree").

Re: Your First Time.

gussteivi — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:12:26 GMT

Author: gussteivi

Posted: 08/20/2012 15:12

Yourselfisntsteam wrote:

random thoughts:

--the "my mind is blown" feeling generally comes from hearing something completely unfamiliar and liking it right?