So, all you Kid Dynamites and Pogo Johnnies out there, which album can you honestly say, hands on heart, is all killer no filler?
* “Islands” doesn’t count, it was on a re-issue *
I absolutely love every single track on “The Age of Plastic” by Buggles.
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As was “Techno Pop.”
As you were.
“The Nightfly” by Donald Fagen. Every track is a gem. Steely dan’s “Aja” likewise.
Big Country – The Crossing.
Every one is a winner
Also mentioned in dispatches:
Henry Priestman – The Chronicles of Modern Life
The Damned – Machine Gun Etiquette
Marillion – Misplaced Childhood
Carter USM – 30 Something
Up!!
Blondie – Parallel Lines
Eagles – Hotel California
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Guns ‘n’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction
Def Leppard – Hysteria
Meanwhile, over here in the 21st century:
The Unbelievable Truth – Almost Here
Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
The Mars Volta – Deloused in the Comatorium
and from the last century:
The Band – The Band
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
Maria McKee – Maria McKee
Oh I see!
And what, exactly, is wrong with the 20th century?
Absolutely nothing! But I sometimes get the feeling that the world of the Afterword ended sometime in the late (19)80s. Much as I love threads like this one, they can give the impression that very few classics have been released in the last 30 years and that we are kind of stuck with – and on – the classic rock canon.
I like the fact you’re implying Buggles are part of the classic rock canon. Can’t see too much in common with the Eagles, Pink Floyd et al myself!
It is a bit of a stretch…. Incidentally, I met Trevor Horn on several occasions when the Buggles project was getting started. It was very hush hush, but even the early demo versions of the various tracks had real magic to them (esp. Video Killed…).
So you like the album then!?!?!
I do, even if it may not be a part of the canon! Haven’t heard it in many years, so I may even have to revise that statement. Buggles rock?!
Give it a play, it’s ace! There’s a few power chords in there if you listen hard enough.
And also a great line
“They sent the Heart Police
to put you under cardiac arrest”
I bet a young Jim Bob out of Carter USM liked that.
Yes!! That’s my favourite line too. Along with “Helmet open where the world came in, you gotta keep your head if you wanna win.”
Sparks. No1 in Heaven. Perfect.
Not sure @Franco
The singles were ace, the rest maybe less so.
Nope Freddy, Franco’s right, it’s ace.
Sparks also qualify via Lil’ Beethoven, securing them platinum status in this thread, giving them a complementary seat upgrade and a choice of champagne, orange juice or Buck’s Fizz. Not that Buck’s Fizz.
Hmm mebbe then.
Might agree on Hello Young Lovers and Gratuitous Sax too.
I can give you two by Van der Graaf Generator – Godbluff and Still Life….
…and one by Yes – Close to the Edge…
Entertainment! By Gang of Four every time.
Speak & Spell by Depeche Mode?
Original Pirate Material by the Streets
The Specials
I have a couple of theories about all killer albums. One is that they are much more likely to be debut albums. Another is that albums in a fixed style of reggae are likely to have nothing that stands out as filler even if they are not entirely killer. Also, no rap album will ever qualify unless you don’t count those dreadful skits.
PS
Dark Side of the Moon
My Depeche Mode one would be Violator. It’s perfect. Every song has its place and are all of the highest quality – but there’s the swirling, eerie interlude pieces – particularly “Crucified!” which features a lead vocal from Fletch (he shouts “crucified!”).
Other albums that have no downside:
Introspective – Pet Shop Boys – A joy from start to finish
Dare – Human League – a confident collection of bright tunes
Trans Europe Express – Kraftwerk – gotta hear it all
If I should fall from the Grace of God – The Pogues – top of their game
Massive Attack – Blue Lines
Afghan Whigs – Black Love
10,000 Maniacs: In My Tribe
David Sylvian – Dead Bees On a Cake
Japan – Tin Drum
Peter Gabriel – 2 & 3
Van Morrison – Astral Weeks & Beautiful Vision
JAMC – Darklands
Bruce Springsteen – Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Heaven 17 – Penthouse and Pavement & Luxury Gap
Tom Petty – Damn The Torpdoes
Floyd – DSotM & WYWH
J.J. Cale – Shades
Mishka – Above The Bones & Guy With A Guitar
Martin Stephenson – Boat To Bolivia
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Massive Attack – Blue Lines
EbtG – Eden
Bob Marley – Exodus
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
The Redskins – Neither Washington nor Moscow
Hipsway – Hipsway
Stone Roses – Stone Roses
T.Rex – Electric Warrior
The Rock Follies – Rock Follies & Follies of 77
Rickie Lee Jones – Rickie Lee Jones & Pirates
Marianne Faithful – Broken English
For me, the only absolutely perfect album is The Man-Machine by Kraftwerk. Even the German version is not absolutely perfect, because of that strange growl that Ralf comes out with in Das Model. There are loads of albums that are within touching distance of perfect though, 99 out of 100 type albums (I won’t list them!), but that’s the only one I can think of that is perfect down to every last note.
Odessey and Oracle – The Zombies
The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
Let it Bleed – The Rolling Stones
The Holy Bible – Manic St Preachers
The Stone Roses
Imperial Bedroom – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Blue Boy – Ron Sex smith
The Bends – Radiohead
OK Computer – Radiohead
New Gold Dream – Simple Minds
The Times They are a Changin’ – Bob Dylan
No Other – Gene Clark
Dusty in Memphis – Dusty Springfield
Lots of good examples already listed above –
Joni Mitchell – Hejira
Joni Mitchell – Court & Spark
The Blue Nile – AWATR
The Blue Nile – Hats
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Bon Iver – For Emma
Bon Iver – 22 A Million
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes – Crack Up
Josh Rouse – 1972
Kate Bush – The Hounds of Love
Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on A Gravel Road
Mercury Rev – Deserters Songs
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy
Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
REM – Lifes Rich Pageant
Rickie Lee Jones – RLJ
Ryan Adams – Gold
Sigur Ros – Takk…
Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Talk Talk – The Colour of Spring
Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden
Talk Talk – Laughing Stock
Talking Heads – Remain in Light
The War on Drugs – Lost in The Dream
The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
1 Giant Leap – What About Me?
1 Giant Leap – 1 Giant Leap
Ryan Adams’s Gold? Mostly excellent other than Sylvia Plath, which is dreadful and if you have the 2 disc set, both The Fools We Are As Men (somewhat prophetic, given recent allegations) and Cannonball Days.
Islands.
Indispensable Crimson crossover album as they morph from rock juggernaut towards jazz monster.
It’s “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic” for me, on the Crims front.
Steely Dan’s “Aja” for sure.
“Dixie Chicken” by Little Feat
“The Seeds Of Love” from Tears For Fears
“801 Live” by 801
“Another Green World” by Eno
“A Rainbow In Curved Air” by Terry Riley
“E2-E4” by Manuel Göttsching
“The Natch’l Blues” by Taj Mahal
etc.
Great list Mike – must try the Terry Riley
Side two of “A Rainbow In Curved Air”, “Poppy Nogood And The Phantom Band”, is about as “out there” as it’s possible to get.
In my opinion.
Amazing to think it was released in 1969.
Yachts – Yachts and Fingerprintz – Distinguishing Marks.
Also Sparks – Propoganda & Kimono My House
A couple of Roy Harper’s albums for me:
Stormcock
HQ
I’ve been struggling to enjoy the albums of 1969, so I applied the no filler rule and ejected the rest. That leaves me with…
Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
Johnnie Taylor – Who’s Makin’ Love
Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul
Dusty Springfield – Dusty In Memphis
Pharoah Sanders – Karma
Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left
Scott Walker – Scott 4
Captain Beefheart – Trout Mask Replica
The Band – The Band
Elvis Presley – Elvis In Memphis
Jimmy Clîff – Jimmy Cliff
Sonny Sharrock – Black Woman
Don Cherry – Eternal Rhythm
“Jimmy Clîff” – I like the circumflex over the î. Was he The Harder They Come Hitmaker’s esperanto cousin? :-]
Hot Buttered Soul was the one that came to my mind also. Bit cheaty, though – only four tracks and half of ‘em are covers of two of the best songs ever written. I know you baldies like to stick together, but even so…
Has no-one said Innervisions – Stevie Wonder?
Pet Sounds
Forever Changes
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Born To Run
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Beggars Banquet
Sticky Fingers
Surf’s Up
Revolver
Bringing It All Back Home
Screamadelica
Raintown
Rattlesnakes
Furniture – The Wrong People
The Bible – Eureka
The Fat Lady Sings – Twist
Love & Money – Dogs In The Traffic
I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to the CD reissue of three of the last four. Fatties reissues are on hold, sidelined by the success of Nick Kelly’s film.
Are the CD reissues pending or already out? I’d be interested in a reissue of Eureka and Dogs…
Eureka was expanded to 2 CDs by Cherry Red in – crikey – 2012. It uses the same master as the Chrysalis UK CD (the 1988 German Chrysalis CD uses the same master as the UK vinyl if these things matter to you). https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/eureka-2cd/
L&M’s Dogs is already out of print again but I’ll have a word. The Cherry Red expanded & remastered Strange Kind of Love is still in print. https://www.cherryred.co.uk/artist/love-and-money/
You’re too kind, Steve. I have the original Eureka and most of the bonus tracks on the linked reissue, but the Dogs query was for a friend who has the original and who’s partner says Dogs is her favourite album, so they would be interested in a re-issue I’m sure.
James Grant is playing solo acoustic at the Borderline in That London on May 2nd. You could ask him yourself.
Rattlesnakes – fuckin’ A. I play that every couple of weeks.