Occasional album recommendations outside the top 10,000 - Music

jdenny2018

Gender: Male

The title is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll explain anyway.

For those of you have followed my profile and threads (which is *checks notes* none of you) you'll know that I was president of a music appreciation club in college. I'd present an album (after convening with my most trusted confidants, of course) to the group and have a huge powerpoint with funny photos and interesting anecdotes about the featured artists. I'll see if i can paste some screenshots of some powerpoints later.

So this thread will be a continuation of this type of album presentation, strictly dedicated to albums that are ranked below 10,000 on the overall list. These may be underrated albums of popular artists, unknown albums by unknown bands, etc. There will be a historical lesson with every album, and an exploration of the artist and the impact of this album on their career. This will be a periodic recommendation thread, with the rest of the thread dedicated to discussion of the recommended album.

I hope you guys enjoy these albums, and welcome any album recommendation that is ranked higher than 10,000. This the only rule, so please follow it! Thanks everyone!

Godspeed music junkies!
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Last edited by jdenny2018 on 10/19/2018 13:24; edited 1 time in total

baystateoftheart
Neil Young as a butternut squash

Age: 29
Location: Massachusetts

Is this only a thread for you to post recs/presentations outside the top 10k and for other people to discuss them? Or is it also a thread for anyone to post stuff outside the top 10k? And if it's the latter, how in-depth do our presentations need to be?
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craola
crayon master

Location: pdx

baystateoftheart wrote:

Is this only a thread for you to post recs/presentations outside the top 10k and for other people to discuss them? Or is it also a thread for anyone to post stuff outside the top 10k? And if it's the latter, how in-depth do our presentations need to be?

i'd hope it's the latter, else, it should probably be moved to the diaries section.

also, for an "official album discussion" thread like this , it'd be great if the initial review is relatively detailed ... going beyond "this song is cool" and "this is the context and the genre", but perhaps talking about the lyricism, musicality, tonality, influence, etc. in general, i want to know more about some of the behind the scenes aspects of the album - how many songs were cut, who produced the album, what's the story behind the cover artwork, etc.
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jdenny2018

Gender: Male

baystateoftheart wrote:

Is this only a thread for you to post recs/presentations outside the top 10k and for other people to discuss them? Or is it also a thread for anyone to post stuff outside the top 10k? And if it's the latter, how in-depth do our presentations need to be?

The latter of course! All recommendations, preferably outside the top 10,000 are welcomed. As for how in depth they should be, I would like them to be relatively in depth, but you don't have to write a whole novel. Couple paragraphs should do.
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jdenny2018

Gender: Male

My first recommendation is:

Barnstorm by Joe Walsh

It's currently ranked 10,480th on the BEA website, and Walsh's third highest rated solo album.

Released in 1972, it's Walsh's first project after leaving the James Gang and it's clear Walsh was still finding his bearings. He started a group named Barnstorm and recorded this album, but it ended up being credited as a Joe Walsh solo album. This album was also the first album ever recorded at the famed Caribou Ranch recording studio near Nederland, Colorado. Here's a brief overview of the studio.

With Barnstorm, Walsh had a desire to move away from the blues rock driven aesthetic of the James Gang, and more towards folk driven acoustic sound. It's a much lighter version of Joe Walsh that has hardly ever been seen. Not with the James Gang, not his later solo work, and not even with the Eagles. In fact, the Eagles added Walsh for the hard rock swagger and recklessness that surrounded his whole persona.

Barnstorm is an entire album of quiet contemplation. It methodically moves along and does not have any moments of overzealous showmanship, but features copious amounts of acoustic brilliance. Piano and various strings appear in bits and pieces, widening the sound of the album, expanding the wondrous feeling instilled by the album. Walsh sings with a more refined and polished tone, with just a hint of his raw, gruff voice. The lyrics are typical of love ballads, but Walsh's lovely tone and delicate instrumentation makes the songs utterly compelling, and in lesser hands could've been drab and uninteresting.

Barnstorm is a lovely album that is a wonderful and delightful listen. It's so astonishing that this album is not more popular. It's kind of buried in Joe Walsh's catalog, especially underneath his Eagles and James Gang albums, but it's wonderful hidden gem that deserves multiple listens to be fully appreciated.

Key tracks: Here We Go, Giant Behemoth, Birdcall Morning, I'll Tell the World

Godspeed music junkies!
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RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Igor Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring by Igor...ilharmonic

Here's the write up about The Rite of Spring piece I gone did before:
https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/v...hp?t=15803

It's ranked 10,117.

Caveat: not convinced this is my favorite recording of the piece, but it is one of my favorite pieces of music ever.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

I suppose I could write a thing about these in my top 100 if interest is there:
Designing A Nervous Breakdown
Pearl Jam Live Album
Carl Orff: Carmina Burana
Aaron Copland: El Salón México

Sandinistar

Location: NYC

Leon Russell And The Shelter People by Leon Russell

Ranked somewhere in the 15,000s - some high-quality singer-songwriter soul/southern rock with some great piano playing. All of Leon's first 3 albums have gems on them, but this is his most consistent. It features a very strong group of backing musicians, as well, including Jesse Ed Davis. It was a Top 20 album at the time, but seems to have been largely ignored (unfairly) as time has gone on.

Key tracks: "Stranger in a Strange Land" - one of his best known songs, a fantastic soul song with great vocals
"Alcatraz" - powerful, high-speed, great piano playing
"Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen" - beautiful ballad
The Dylan/Harrison covers are pretty excellent as well
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Lachapelle

Gender: Male

In The Fishtank 10 by Motorpsycho & Jaga Jazzist

[Ranked at #47655]

A jazzy collaboration from Motorpsycho that anyone who's into fusion should appreciate. Motorpsycho is a Norwegian group that specializes in progressive, pyschadelic music and are overwhelmingly underrated. I chose this EP because it's rather short so it's a relatively easy listen (however the music may not be easy for some listeners). I would also recommend Trust Us, which is the 1st album of theirs I picked up and fell in love with immediately. It also sits outside of the top 10000 on this site.

paladisiac
= music

Gender: Male
Location: Denver

i have a top 200 specifically for this very topic -- albums outside of the BEA top 10,000 that i recommend -- from my personal top 1300 albums:

"you've been caught sleeping" 001-100
"you've been caught sleeping" 101-200

(Some of these albums may have since slipped into the BEA top 10,000 -- i haven't kept an eye on it.)
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