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All-time fave – no list

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Hi, I’m the chinstrokin’ champ and I got a question for y’all:

When “push comes. to shove” what is the favourite CD un your collection? And why?

Not your favourite album, because a compilation, even of different artists is fine. Not a CD that is in someone else’s collection or one that you used to have. You must have it now. It must be durable, so you’ve had it for a long. time. No lists please.

My own fave? The Texas Bluesman by Lightnin’ Hopkins. Because old Sam is my main man. And he’s the compilation king. His many, many recordings are available mostly on compilations. This one is great, since it has the definitive versions of some of his greatest tunes such as Mojo Hand and Tom Moore’s Farm (it doesn’t have Shaggy Dog, but hey you got to listen to some of his other compilations too). I’ve had it for decades and never not loved it.

You?

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Comments

  5. Elvis Costello – King of America

    Because Elvis Costello has been my favourite artist for a long long time and because this album has 5 of my top 10 EC songs – five!! On one album!!

  6. Van der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts. My favourite, most-played CD (if you count the transition to the remastered version in 2005 to be the same CD), just as the vinyl album was my most-played album ever since I received it as a 15th birthday present in 1972.

  7. Going Blank Again by Ride

    It’s my Proustian madeleine. Gives me a physical rush back to the first thrill of discovering ‘my music’ and no matter what avenues and detours my taste has wandered down ever since it’s the opening blast of Leave Them All Behind that started it all. I know every note by heart and I love each one. And I’ve got a copy signed by Andy Bell.

    Going to put it on now and dance/lollop about a bit like Mark Gardener.

    • I quite accept that this is how it works for many people. I would even accept that favourites should be transient and ephemeral, like the best live music. You have to live it as it happens.

      But that is not true for me.

  10. The Beatles: Past Masters Vol. 1.

    18 songs – ridiculously huge hits, a smattering of German, plenty of b-sides, and I imagine, in 2021 anyway, their least played release in its entirety – the Long Tall Sally E.P.

    The whole thing is chin-stroking proof, made for screaming females not academics, and the deal-clincher? …..it would be the very last one Liam Gallagher would pick.

  11. Hejira. Because I first got to know it as I was backpacking round the world, to which it was a companion and soundtrack, and every song alludes to wanderlust in some way. And also because it’s so jaw-droppingly good. I may have to listen to it right now.

  13. Gong – Shamal. Concentrated listening, listening while driving, listening at work, playing along – lots of listening…

    However, it’s actually not my all-time favourite album by the strict parameters of the OP (that would be VdGG – Still Life; but for some reason – although I have the CD – I still mostly prefer listen to the LP I bought in 1976).

  18. Bob Dylan – Desire

    I love Dylan’s mid 70s releases. Every track is great, but especially hurricane and Sara. Maybe because of Emmylou Harris backing vocals and Scarlett Riveria’s violin too.

  19. Had a think about this, and my favourite CD is a mix album by Liam Howlett of The Prodigy called The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume 1. It came out in 1998 and the Dirtchamber of the title is Liam’s home studio I believe. (There’s a great photo of him on the inner sleeve, I assume in his studio, crouching over a sampler with a turntable, records, cables and all sorts strewn all around him. I love that image).

    I’m not even a fan of the Prodigy. This just started life as a radio 1 session, and is a rollicking collection of eclectic tunes mainly from golden era hip hop, but with occasional forays into odd incongruous things like the Charlatans and the Sex Pistols. It’s brilliantly mixed, and just flows perfectly for about 59 minutes and about 50 tunes. It’s fun, and never fails to put a spring in my step.

    No one ever seems to have heard of it, and there was never a Volume 2!

  20. The one I’d return to a burning house for – The Who: Quadrophenia
    (Actually there are 9 or 10 others on the list, but that would be the first one I grab. The joy of a perfect filing system).

    And if I had time to reach higher, I’d also grab the Slade Box Set

  23. Deadicated, the early tribute to the Grateful of that ilk. So much easier than wading through the originals. Classic artists in all my favourite genres. And a shitty track from Midnight Oil.

  24. My Mofi copy of ‘Forever Changes’ great sound for the greatest album ever.

    I’ve listened to many versions on LP, then CD then the Mofi CD. Although I do prefer the Mofi LP @chinstroker asked for favourite CD.

    Many albums have tried to knock F.C. off its perch but none have succeeded in over 50 years.

  26. #1 Record – Big Star
    Pop perfection from a troubled band with a dodgy record deal on a doomed label. Radio City was great, the third album had it’s moments but the debut had the wow factor.
    The ultimate “could’a, would’a, should’a” band reduced to cult status.

  27. Strangers In The Night – UFO

    I always come back to hard rock music for comfort.

    I love a wide range of genres but this always sticks and I have grown to like the odd couple of tracks that I previously ignored with repeated listening.

    It is a masterpiece of live rock music with band members at their best.

  28. Just who is this Chinstroker anyway? He or it or them appears out of nowhere and like lambs you all give out your innermost playlists! It’s Putin isn’t it. Hello, Vladimir!

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