Best Way To Listen To Albums - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

nutso42

I've long been a huge fan of Pink Floyd, but never quite felt like I was getting the most out of Dark Side of the Moon. This was a problem that has bothered me for over a decade now.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I was out with some friends, and we eventually wound up on top of a mountain. The five of us smushed together on top of the car for stargazing while DSOTM played loudly through the car's speakers.

I finally heard it in - what I consider - to be the absolute perfect listening environment for the album. So my question: Have any of you experienced similar things? Great albums that become better in the right circumstances?

Guest

I Could Live in Hope by Low in the dark. Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill by Grouper on rainy days. Dance of the Moon and the Sun by Natural Snow Buildings on the bus. Visions by Grimes in the car really loud at night. Simple, easily attainable situations, that give the albums more of a habitat to dwell in. Though i find that really great albums don't take any special external circumstances. Almost every album in my chart I've heard for the first time just sitting in my room and I had an incredible experience with each one.

JMan

Loveless - just sit back and let the sound enter your ears.
Hysteria - with the RIGHT speakers. As you know, I use my Hershey's speakers.
ANATO - I always like to pretend I'm really at an opera with Queen playing.

RockyRaccoon
Is it solipsistic in here or is it just me?

Gender: Male
Age: 33
Location: Maryland

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Listening to a live Grateful Dead album stoned immaculate was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.
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JMan

With the Harkan albums I've heard, I just sit back ;ike with Loveless, except with Loveless I get partially mystified at the beauty while with album like HArK I just sit back and wait for the occasional surprise.

Last edited by JMan on 10/07/2013 17:52; edited 1 time in total

Necharsian
Best Ever User

Gender: Male

Listened to Ultima Thulee while walking through a forest until I found a clearing and the perfect tree. Pretty sure Ive told that story here before but ya that was a crazy experience for me.

Listened to Lift yr Skinny Fists.. while lying on the ground in the darkness with headphones. No idea why this was so ideal but it was how it first clicked with me.

Listened to Welcome My Last Chapter while drunk running home from a friends house in winter at like 2 in the morning. Actually ive done this a few times with different black metal albums (including Ultima Thulee) but its a great way to experience the genre imo.

I can only imagine that Nepenthe would be perfect for being at the top of a mountain but I havent done it yet

Will think of more as they come to me

meccalecca
Voice of Reason

Gender: Male
Location: The Land of Enchantment

Good post. The setting of your listening experience can definitely have profound effects. And it's not just recordings but live. I've seen bands play in different venues and the experience can be quite different with each space. The space should compliment the sounds.

I've seen Low, Sigur Ros and Godspeed in churches as well as more typical venues. Needless to say, the church provided a much more profound experience each time.

I think there's also records that should be heard within group settings, and others best experienced alone. Upbeat records are like comedy films. Being around other people enjoying them has a very infectious effect.
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Johnnyo

Gender: Male
Age: 65
Location: London Town

nutso42 wrote:

I've long been a huge fan of Pink Floyd, but never quite felt like I was getting the most out of Dark Side of the Moon. This was a problem that has bothered me for over a decade now.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I was out with some friends, and we eventually wound up on top of a mountain. The five of us smushed together on top of the car for stargazing while DSOTM played loudly through the car's speakers.

I finally heard it in - what I consider - to be the absolute perfect listening environment for the album. So my question: Have any of you experienced similar things? Great albums that become better in the right circumstances?

That's so spooky. A few weeks ago I was visiting friends of mine who live on the Greek island of Paros. They basically live "off the grid" solar power, collecting their own water, farming etc. They live up in the hills, along a dirt track. No street lighting so you get this amazing view of the heavens @ night. You see things that you can never see when in the city.

So, you guessed it, we were in their garden chiling out, 12 - 1 in the morning, talking & looking @ this amazing sky & my mate Pat put on DSOTM. That was an amazing listening experience. No neighbours, so could play it as loud as the speakers could take it.

So yes, the listening enviornment does play a huge part in my personal listening experience.

Listmeister

Gender: Male
Location: Ohio

Driving home on a sunny afternoon. That's the best way to listen to an album.

This is from several weeks of listening to albums at work, and then putting in a CD for the hour long drive home. An album is more likely to go into my 100 if I hear it on the way home from work.

You can't sing along when you're at work. And driving home there's nothing (not even this forum) to distract you from the music except the road.

Cymro2011
The Beatles were objectively average

Gender: Male
Age: 28
Location: In a deep, dark bubblegum graveyard

A few weeks ago I was listening to Acid Music For Acid People by Liquid Sound Company while sleep deprived and sitting in a really warm room. It's weird, it was like the music was as warm as I was feeling...if that makes any kind of sense. It was one of my most perfect listening sessions.