Comus' 1001 Albums you should listen to before you die
 

K, since you lightweights can't even finish a 100 album thread, and since I'm greater and sexier than everyone, I'm going to try my hand at this. Albums are in no order, and only one album per band allowed, and no albums from the original 1001 list.

1952:
Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell (978)
1956:
Charles Mingus: Pithecanthropus Erectus (969)
Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues (932)
1957:
John Coltrane: Blue Train (957)
Miles Davis: 'Round About Midnight (967)
Thelonious Monk: Monk's Music (961)
1958:
Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (919)
1960:
Nat Adderley: Work Song (937)
1966:
The Sonics: Boom (983)
1967:
Donovan: Mellow Yellow (979)
1969:
The Allman Brothers Band - The Allman Brothers Band (927)
Pharoah Sanders - Karma (918)
1970:
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Lick My Decals Off, Baby (999)
King Crimson: Lizard (960)
1971:
Caravan: In The Land of Grey and Pink (976)
Comus: First Utterance (987)
John Martyn: Bless the Weather (998)
Leaf Hound: Growers of Mushroom (958)
1972:
Agitation Free: Malesch (954)
Can: Ege Bamyasi (974)
Gentle Giant: Octopus (962)
Il Balletto Di Bronzo: Ys (949)
Jethro Tull: Thick As A Brick (991)
Santana: Caravanserai (935)
Wishbone Ash: Argus (952)
Jerusalem - Jerusalem (930)
Genesis - Foxtrot (929)
Twenty Sixty Six And Then - Reflections on the Future (913)
1973:
Budgie: Never Turn Your Back On A Friend (971)
Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire (950)
Samla Mammas Manna: Måltid (955)
Magma - Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh (924)
Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin - Love Devotion Surrender (912)
1974:
Joe Henderson - The Elements (931)v
Dolly Parton - Jolene
1975:
Hatfield and the North: The Rotters' Club (946)
Hawkwind: Warrior on the Edge of Time (980)
Mountain Ash Band: The Hermit (965)
Renaissance: Scheherazade and Other Stories (942)
1976:
Camel: Moonmadness (986)
Led Zeppelin: Presence (948)
Michael Hurley, The Unholy Modal Rounders, Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones - Have Moicy! (928)
Max Romeo & The Upsetters - War ina Babylon (922)
Billy Joel - Turnstiles (985)
1977:
Eloy: Ocean (997)
Pink Floyd: Animals (989)
1978:
Kate Bush: The Kick Inside (996)
1979:
Blackfoot: Strikes (973)
Frank Zappa: Sheik Yerbouti (941)
1980:
The Clash: Sandinista! (970)
The Fall: Grotesque (After the Gramme) (1000)
1982:
Dire Straits: Love Over Gold (975)
Etron Fou Leloublan: Les Poumons Gonflés (951)
1983:
Bacamarte: Depois Do Fim (956)
1984:
Violent Femmes: Hallowed Ground (994)
1985:
Outer Limits - Misty Moon (921)
1986:
Kreator: Pleasure to Kill (939)
1987:
Dead Kennedys: Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death (981)
1988:
Bathory: Blood Fire Death (953)
1991:
Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusions I (917)
1992:
Änglagård: Hybris (944)
1994:
Lords of Acid: Voodoo-U (968)
Pearl Jam: Vitalogy (984)
1995:
Ulver: Kveldssanger (972)
1996:
Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind (925)
1999:
Windir: Arntor (982)
Fishmans - 98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare (926)
2000:
Enslaved: Mardraum: Beyond the Within (940)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (964)
2001:
The Mad Capsule Markets: 010 (995)
Kaizers Orchestra - Ompa til du dør (933)
2003:
Kayo Dot: Choirs of the Eye (959)
Moonsorrow: Kivenkantaja (988)
Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning (914)
2004:
Joanna Newsom: The Milk Eyed Mender (1001)
Ayreon - The Human Equation (920)
2005:
Foo Fighters: In Your Honor (938)
2006:
Myrkgrav: Trollskau, Skrømt og Kølabrenning (992)
Panzerpappa: Koralrevens Klagesang (947)
2007:
Citay: Little Kingdom (990)
Drudkh: Estrangement (966)
Kings of Leon: Because of the Times (936)
Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters (923)
2008:
Birds and Buildings: Bantam to Behemoth (993)
The Mars Volta: Bedlam in Goliath (977)
2009:
maudlin of the Well: Part the Second (963)
Quest For Fire: Quest For Fire (945)
Sleepy Sun: Embrace (943)
2010:
Alcest - Écailles de lune (916)
2012:
Wintersun - Time I (915)
2021:
Passenger - Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted (934)

Album 1001

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Joanna Newsom - the Milk Eyed Mender
Year: 2004

I rated this in my review corner at 9.7 which I still think is pretty accurate. This is not only a great album but it's also teeming with suprising new things. Newsom's vocals are just a joy to behold, and her lyrics are even better and she's a looker to boot! If all indie was like this I'd be giving up prog forever, but unfortunately it was not to be so. Far better than her contemporaries Newsom excells, while I wasn't a massive fan of Ys I do really hope she'll release another album soon. Most of you should be familiar with her, but if you're not get off your arse and get it.

3 Choice Tracks: Inflammatory Writ, This Side of the Blue, The Book of Right On

This will be interesting to say the least.

I hate Joanna Newsom though so I won't comment on her.

Wow, very ambitious thread ;) It might just be possible, though I guess it's gonna take a couple / few years to get through'em. I wish you good luck!

.. And I like Joanna. She's a bit of a weirdo.

Album 1000

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The Fall - Grotesque (After the Gramme)
Year: 1980

Some albums should be locked up in museums and studied as geniune social commentary, this is one of them. This album is a gateway to the disturbing genius that is Mark E. Smith. I've always found it hard to listen to the Fall very often, but when I can it's such an amazing experience. In this album Smith acts as the unheard spokesman of a generation under Th*tch*rit* Britain, sure she's only just been in power a year or so, but she's doing her bit to ruin blighty already. For one of the most accessible Fall albums it's not at all accessible, it's very uncomfortable, even on the tenth listen. Smiths' anger in songs like Pay Your Rates is so incredibly genuine that it sends chills down your spine. The instruments all sound so wrong, yet so right. This is the brilliance of the Fall, you'll never get what you came for, even if you've heard it all 100 times before. Don't just listen to this album once, try listening to it every day for a week, I fucking dare you. I don't think I could do it, but I'm not a very stable person.

3 Choice Tracks: Pay Your Rates, New Face In Hell, In The Park

Album 999

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Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby
Year: 1970

Very often overlooked in favour of Trout Mask Replica as the "one" Captain Beefheart album people get. This slightly toned down version of Beefheart's genius sings to me. It is early avant-garde at its best and it really helped shape and define the era moreso than TMR did. The humour, while Zappa-esque in stature is far less straight forward than Zappa ever did, and it focuses far more on simply being weird. Weird for the sake of being weird possibly, but this is the start of the 70's everyone was doing it, just in slightly less obvious ways. The vocal performance is actually quite stunning if you give an intent listen, and so are the instrumentals, put this album on loop, and let it play twice and listen to every note and every piece of lyric, you will be very well rewarded.

3 Choice Tracks: Bellerin'Plain, I Wanna Find a Woman That'll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go, The Clouds are Full of Wine (Not Whiskey or Rye)

Looking forward to discovering some great new albums in this thread:thumb:

This reminds me of Stephen Colbert's 434-part series, Better Know a District.

I call your bluff, you won't finish it. And if you do it'll be long after this post so nobody will call me on it.

Album 998

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John Martyn - Bless the Weather
Year: 1971

What a great album title for a British musician. Bless the Weather started to define Martyn's unique sound, surprisingly mellow but lacking the layers of Nick Drake's two first albums. It works incredibly well with Martyn's Vocals and it creates what I feel is the perfect folk feel. This is true folk like it was supposed to be made, the album is near flawless and certainly a gem that will stick with you long after first and tenth listen. Be careful however, don't let it fade into the background or you'll miss some of the subtleties that make Martyn great. I chose this album over Solid Air because it is more interesting to see the development of the artist than the final blossom. And Bless the Weather is by no means a lesser album, I think it's greater for it, it showcases what Martyn could do with his songs purely in the capacity of a folk artist. Put this on, close your eyes and let the lushness and beauty of the music just wash over you. RIP.

3 Choice Tracks: Go Easy, Just Now, Back Down The River

Woah that guy looks like the guy from Nirvana at first glance. Not Foo Fighter guy but the other one.

So I have decided, I'm going to try my absolute best, to not include any album from the original list, or have more than one album per band. But this is 1001 albums here, so it might get hairy in the last 300 or so albums. We'll see how it goes.

Album 997

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Eloy - Ocean
Year: 1977

Eloy are often overlooked by a lot of part-time prog fans, and they don't really fit into the krautrock movement so they're ignored by them too. But what we have here is something that just screams mastepiece. I mean come on, it's a concept album about the rise and fall of Atlantis, can you get any more prog? Every part of this album just flows so brilliantly together and it's just amazing how criminally underrated it is in the grand scheme of things. This is an album that has to be heard in one sitting, the sequence is just so amazingly important. One thing that strikes me about it, is the drumming. Jürgen Rosenthal here has created one of the finest examples of prog drumming, shame it was so late in the game. Even the vocals add their own distinctive brilliant edge, it wouldn't be the same without Bornemann's german charm.

3 Choice Tracks: Read: 4 track Concept Album

you're a mentalist for doing this! If you can be arsed you should add links to each album (via the 'permalink' option in the top right of each post) in the first post or just list the titles you've done so far; in a few months I won't be bothered to flick through a zillion pages to read a review. music!

Ah yeah...because she's actually got talent, unlike that hack Roger Waters.

I have 30 posts per page. Also going to play the choice tracks of the lbums so far in my show tonight

Album 996

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Kate Bush - The Kick Inside
Year: 1978

For a debut, this album shows incredible maturity from a 19 year old girl, especially considering she had been writing the songs for 6 years. Her untrained, and wild voice dances around this album in a way not seen in her later, often more respected works. The sheer uniqueness of the album itself just makes it an obvious choice for the list. Bush's songwriting skills really do shine, and it's an absolutely great pop album. You really don't get talent like this in mainstream media anymore, especially not talent that write their own lyrics. Listen to this album with an open mind, everyone's heard Wuthering Heights and yes it's a great song, but there are so many more to explore. Sit back, and listen to the lyrics, try to imagine what it was like hearing this in 1978, especially considering the vocals and how young Kate was at the time.

3 Choice Tracks: Strange Phenomena, Wuthering Heights, Room For The Life

Kate Bush :love: Patti Smith gave us attitude. Deboarah Harry gave us sex appeal and Kate Bush gave us sensuality. Great pick.

Album 995

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The Mad Capsule Markets - 010
Year: 2001

Yes, the year is the Japanese release. This album is so amazingly full of win that it's hard to describe. It's digital hardcore, or whatever the hell you want to classify it as. Either way it's catchy, different, heavy and just batshit insane at the same time. Nothing on this album is natural, but why should it be? Even though this album is a bit more accessible than their other albums it's still incredibly far off the wall. You wouldn't find stuff like this on the original list, because they were playing it way too safe. Why make a list about 1001 albums you have to listen to, when they're all going to sound the same. This album, and the whole band is just so different everyone has to give them at least a try, they'll be richer for it. Anyways great band and great album.

3 Choice Tracks: Gaga Life, Kumo, Fly High

Album 994

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Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground
Year: 1984

Everyone and their dog has heard their debut, but how many can say they've heard their far more mature second offering? This oftimes overlty religious album shows a far higher standard in songwriting and musicianship than their self titled debut. Gordon Gano gets a little bit more control, for the better in this case. The whole album is a lot darker and as a whole gives a much more satisfying listen than their debut. And what makes this album even better is the freak out instrumental section in Black Girls, which is something Gentle Giant would be proud of. This is an album you want to play with a cold beer while sitting with your friends and just talking about life, but get familiar with the album first, then you can divert your attention.

3 Choice Tracks: Country Death Song, I Know It's True but I'm Sorry to Say, Black Girls

Album 993

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Birds and Buildings - Bantam to Behemoth
Year: 2008

It's a recent one, and still pretty unknown but this is going to be pretty big in prog circles in the next few years. Imagine a mix of King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Camel, Magma and Mahavishnu Orchestra, throw in modern production and bam! Epic album. This album is very jazzy, but eclectic enough not to be thrown in totally with the Canterbury scene. For such a recent album it sounds very magnificent and incredibly well matured. There's always something new to hear and discover and the flow just makes it an absolute pleasure to listen to. Aside from all the comparisons it's a massively interesting album regardless of who you've heard, powerful, fast and intricate it's everything that makes prog great, and with the mix there is something very new and personal and the energy is matching the level of Bedlam in Goliath, while the music is nowhere near as abrasive. This is one to get familiar with first and then throw on when very much under the influence of your favourite drug, legal or otherwise.

3 Choice Tracks: Birds Flying Into Buildings, Caution Congregates And Forms A Storm, Chakra Khan

mad capsules and Bush, brilliant, Tore really rates that album aswell but I don't have it, my favourite has always been Never For Ever. It's almost a dilemma that someone can be such a great and uncanny composer and songwriter whilst probably being the sexiest sack of bones to ever don a leotard... you just don't get that all-rounder quality in your female solo artists today. Except for one who shall not be named .

Only takes a couple of youtube interviews to realise she is as mad as a barrel of mountain goats though

Do you have a link for this perchance? I only have Cistim Confliqt and it's the shit when you need a blast of noise.

This is my favourite debut ever. To have such an album and such music made by such a young girl is really amazing .. As I wrote in my review, Kate Bush should be an inspiration to all young, up and coming artists. :)

Ive been searching record stores for this for YEARS, havent found it yet. I'm glad you have so many good things to say about it, their debut is one of those records that seems un-toppable.

I love this album, very different from what I usually listen to however. Such a strange voice i could see how some could hate it. Btw for some reason I crave plums, peaches and pears when i listen to The Milk Eyed Mender.

Album 992

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Myrkgrav - Trollskau, Skrømt og Kølabrenning
Year: 2006

The first metal album of the list, and it's most certainly deserving, the original list would never have included anything like this, because with the exception of Venom's "Black Metal" which isn't really extreme metal per se, they didn't include anything out of the metal mainstream. I can't see why, a lot of people enjoy this music, and a lot of more people would if they actually gave it an honest shot, or even heard about it. For the first of the "extreme" metal albums on this list, this one is rather accessible, and for a full review and some youtube videos, head over to my review corner in a few hours when it's approved. This album is more on the melodic side, however utilising mainly guitars for that melody so it stays very much metal. It's quite accessible so I do urge everyone to at least give it a try, it will be worth your while. This is an album to listen to alone, in a dark room with no distractions, that way you can really let your imagination run free.

3 Choice Tracks: Fela Etter’n Far, Tre Skygger Tel Kølbrennern Kom, De To Spellemenn

The album pales in comparison to Ys.

Since this is a 1001 albums you should LISTEN to before you die, a little teaser I think would be nice every 10 albums, so here you go folks! the first one!

1001 - 992 Compilation Album

1. Joanna Newsom - The Book of Right-On (4:29)
2. The Fall - New Face In Hell (5:41)
3. Captain Beefheart - The Clouds Are Full Of Wine (Not Whiskey Or Rye) (2:46)
4. John Martyn - Go Easy (4:13)
5. Eloy - Atlantis' Agony at June 5th-8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime (15:39)
6. Kate Bush - Strange Phenomena (2:58)
7. The Mad Capsule Markets - Fly High (3:51)
8. Violent Femmes - Black Girls (5:42)
9. Birds and Buildings - Chakra Khan (5:56)
10. Myrkgrav - Fela etter'n far (5:22)

1001-992 Albums Compilation.rar

<3

Album 991

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Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick
Year: 1972

The definition of prog rock epic. Jethro Tull's tongue in cheek effort manages to actually be a brilliant piece of prog while satirising the entire genre at the same time. The great backstory of the album helps as well, but since it's all about stuff you should "listen to" the music is far more important. Featuring catchy acoustic and electric riffs and lyrics that will stick in your head until the day you die it manages to have enough pop sensibility to be accessible to nearly everyone. Despite the lenghty song (there is only one) it never gets boring, all the various movements and melodies all incoporated into the same theme work brilliantly to deliver the desired effect. To appreciate this album get familiar with it, and then put it on instead of the music of whatever game you're playing, it's brilliant.

3 Choice Tracks: There's one, listen to that one.

Album 990

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Citay - Little Kingdom
Year: 2007

This peaceful psychedelic folk album is the perfect example of what can be done with guitars, melody and just a lot of chilling out. The whole album plays like one giant relaxing bath, and it's just beautiful to listen to. From the soft mellow acoustic guitars to the caustic interruption of electric squeals it just feels like one epic trip that never goes out of control. The only thing to really fault the album is the short runtime of 44 minutes 53 seconds which leaves you wanting more and more until you just have to put it on again. This is one to sit back with a bit of booze or toke up and just appreciate, great for ambient background music for slow, sensual sex as well.

3 Choice Tracks: First Fantasy, A Riot of Color, Moonburn

Album 989

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Pink Floyd - Animals
Year: 1977

The year is 1977, the Sex Pistols have perfected the punk song, all about anarchy, sex and holidays in the sun. Meanwhile, in la la land, Pink Floyd have created a concept album about a George Orwell book, no, not 1984 although that would have been awesome, Animal Farm. Yes it's Animals, and yes notorious failure and all around bad guy Roger Waters has started to take control of the bands direction. But all that aside, Pink Floyd still managed to create their last great album, and for that it does need all the praise it deserves. This album truly is great, it is a fine example, late in the game, of a fine prog concept album, worth noting that Eloy's Ocean also came out this year. Anyways, toke up and enjoy.

3 Choice Tracks: With only 3 songs long enough to count I don't think this is quite necessary.

Jethro Tull, eh?

Hmmm.

I've been meaning to listen to an actual album for ages.

Then get onto it man!

Album 988

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Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja
Year: 2003

This album introduced me to the concept of "Epic" sure, I had heard all the big prog epics, and a lot of black metal. But the first time I heard this album I was awestruck. The sheer scale of it all, the mix of instrumentation and the use of such power. Moonsorrow really do deliver on epic, this is an essential Folk Metal album, but really it's not overtly abrasive and like the Myrkgrav album should still be heard by everyone. It is reasonable to assume that some people don't want to venture too deep into the extremes of metal but believe me it is worth it, and this list will have quite a few metal albums, so get used to it. Anyways this album is one to dedicate all your attention, in a dark room with nothing but something nice to drink. Believe me, it will make your first listen all the more enjoyable.

3 Choice Tracks: Raunioilla, Kivenkantaja, Matkan Lopussa

Yeah this is going to take a couple YEARS to complete. Good Luck mane!

for some reason i'm getting the impression that the most obscure albums on this list are going to be exclusively black metal and prog.

I don't see why you would... oh, Comus made this thread. Nevermind then.

LOL You guys being mean again?

Yeah because another thread full of In the Aeroplane over the sea rip-offs would be so much more interesting.

^
Thank you, that had to be said