If a person is looking for a list of best albums, a quick Google search will reveal a huge number of lists of the top 50, 100, 300, 500 “Best Albums Ever.” It seems like everyone has a list … and now, here’s one more. I don’t really know if these are the best ever, but each one of these exists as a real album — a cohesive unit rather than a collection of unrelated songs. And yes, they do lean toward the classic rock genre. There is no particular order to this list; each one stands on its own.
“Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”/“Abbey Road” – The Beatles. Yeah, I know. That’s two albums and not just one. But each is as good as the other, and I can’t leave one off. In 1967, the Beatles had quit performing live and were tired of being the Beatles. Paul McCartney’s idea that they cast themselves as a completely different band was well received by the other Fabs, and they threw themselves wholeheartedly into making a record that wasn’t the Beatles. Ironically, it’s one of the albums most associated with the Beatles, and this record set a high bar for any other “concept albums” subsequently released. “Abbey Road” is part of this entry because it’s the last Beatles album (in terms of what they recorded), and it’s a swan song par excellence. It’s basically two mini-albums in one: Side 1 is a collection of some of the Beatles’ greatest individual songs, while Side 2 takes the listener on a musical journey that ends with the greatest goodbye line from any group or musician ever. Their growth as musicians, writers and artists is evident in the tracks, and the world is damn fortunate that these four Liverpudlians got together.
“Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd. There are those who would argue that “The Wall” is a better concept, but Dark Side captures the group when it really was a group, and not just Roger Waters’ backup band. All four members contributed to the songwriting and arranging. The aural quality of this 1973 record is still amazing, and producer/engineer Alan Parsons built a career on his reputation from this record alone. (Parsons also worked as an engineer on Beatles records.) Each song is a classic, and that’s something that no one can say about “The Wall” (e.g., “Vera,” “Bring the Boys Back Home”). This is quite possibly the greatest concept album of all time.
“Blood on the Tracks” – Bob Dylan. There are arguments to be made that “Bringing it All Back Home,” “Highway 61 Revisited” or “Blonde on Blonde” are better Dylan albums. These were recorded at the peak of Dylan’s 1960s creativity, and each disc is replete with a multitude of classic songs that shaped and changed rock and roll. But as an album, I still prefer “Blood on the Tracks.” The acoustic-based production is understated, and it perfectly serves these songs of love, bitterness, estrangement, disappointment and even hope. From the relationship saga of “Tangled Up in Blue” to the closer “Buckets of Rain,” this album chronicles everything and every emotion one can find in a romantic relationship. Even the bitter and angry “Idiot Wind” closes with the realization that it takes two to tango, and that the singer may be just as much at fault as the object of his vitriol. By the way, the best version of this song is the live one from the “Hard Rain” album.
“Wildflowers” – Tom Petty. While “Blood on the Tracks” was Dylan’s breakup album, “Wildflowers” was Petty’s turn at disillusionment. Tracks like the title cut, “You Don’t Know How it Feels,” “Don’t Fade on Me” and “Only a Broken Heart” hint at the sorrow and regret the singer feels at the end of a relationship. Even rockers like “You Wreck Me” and “Honey Bee” have a bittersweet quality. Two songs hint at the hard times ahead: “Time to Move On” and the closer, “Wake Up Time.” In both, the singer is resigned to picking up the pieces and keep going on, even if he seems to be singing it to himself in the latter song. What makes this album stand out among the rest of Petty’s amazing catalog is twofold: the quality of the songs, and the absolutely impeccable production of Rick Rubin (along with Tom and Mike Campbell). Listening to this album on a good pair of speakers or good headphones places the listener in the studio with the band as it’s being recorded. Every note counts, every part is essential; there is absolutely no fluff.
This very short list could easily contain myriad other albums. I’m just glad I got to experience and live with these (and other) great albums. What’s on your list?
- Catch John live Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing, this Friday at Isla Bella, and Sunday afternoons at Skipjack Tiki. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com • johnbartus.hearnow.com
