photo: Andrea
MY 5 MUST HAVE ALBUMS
~I need to insert a quick not at the top here that most every person was absolutely torn on which albums to pick. Some felt they had betrayed the albums they cut, others made sure it was clear this was “by no means a definitive list” and still others were insistent that a disclaimer be made that this was only their current list, not their all time list because there “was no possible way to narrow it down to five.” So with that said, here are this weeks “friday fives.”
Kristen
The Earth is Not a Cold Dark Place – Explosion in the sky
ATLiens – Outkast
Black Album – Metallica
Tragic Kingdom – No Doubt
Greatest Hits – Smashing Pumpkins
Kendra
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill
The Best of 1980-1990 – U2
HIStory – Michael Jackson
Illinoise – Sufjan Stevens
Nevermind – Nirvana
Joy
Greatest Hits – Queen
Big Ones – Aerosmith
No Fences – Garth Brooks
Enter the Worship Circle – Waterdeep
Sex Packets – Digital Underground
Zabs
Elliot Smith – xo
Lifehouse – No Name Face
Foo Fighters- The Colour and the Shape
Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
The Cure- Desintigration
Meridith
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois
Michael Jackson – Off the Wall
Elo – Xanadu
Stevie Wonder – Definitive Collection
A Tribe Called Quest – Anthology
Andrea
mos def – black on both sides
lauryn hill – the miseducation of lauryn hill
sufjan stevens – come on feel the illinoise
radiohead – ok computer
ella fitzgerald and louis armstrong – ella & louis again
music mamas 
20 comments
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October 12, 2007 at 10:17 am
meridith
i loved reading this and seeing how different or similar the lists are.
October 12, 2007 at 10:43 am
tiegs
i agree! as each of you were sending them in i was surprised at how many were very different and then that some were the same. it was interesting! kendra
October 12, 2007 at 11:28 am
andrea
oh, how I love me some lists. this is so fun.
October 12, 2007 at 12:35 pm
kristen
This is great! The “5” picture is great, the lists are great (I too am a list gal), the “disclaimer” is great… In a way, I felt like by me not putting Lauren Hill, I was in some way defiling mine and Dan’s relationship because so many of our first dances, cuddles and kisses were to that album. 😉
October 12, 2007 at 1:11 pm
DaveX
Patti Smith – Horses
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
James Brown – 20 All-Time Greatest!
John Cage, Luciano Berio, Ilhan Mimaroglu – Electronic Music
Neil Young – On the Beach
I’m more than a little surprised seeing Sufjan on so many of the top 5 lists– gotta admit, he wouldn’t crack my top 100! It’s a good album, but Top 5-worthy? Really? *lol*
Lists like this make me sad anyway. I always picture myself as being somehow confined to these 5, and then I’m like: “I’d never hear ____ again?! Ack!”
October 12, 2007 at 1:23 pm
la vie en rose
well…i’m gonna change my answer up a little bit…here are my favorite 5 albums RIGHT NOW…i want to reserve the right to change my mind…
skin & bones–foo fighters
rearview mirror–pearl jam
stop the clocks–oasis
live in new amsterdam–counting crows
and i feel the need to put some springsteen on my list since he’s always been a musical inspiration to me
born to run–bruce springsteen
October 12, 2007 at 1:26 pm
tiegs
DaveX, yes, the power of the list! so confining, so demanding of us. I think that’s what makes it so great to do these. Our lists will change every time we’re asked because isnt it really all based on mood and moment and life at the time?
October 12, 2007 at 2:09 pm
huberama
tapestry – carole king
lady in satin – billie holiday
the patsy cline story – patsy cline
up to here – the tragically hip
fumbling towards ecstasy – sarah mclachlan
October 12, 2007 at 2:51 pm
kikimarie
i’m not a mama, but i love music and who can resist a list. these are my faves this week:
the creatures – boomerang
yusef lateef – eastern sounds
dead can dance – toward the within
alice coltrane – journey in satchidananda
me’shell ndegeocello – peace beyond passion
October 12, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Mommy Zabs
This is such a great list! I mean if you put it all together there is a pretty good representation here. I’m going to put a blurb up for people to come list theirs.
October 12, 2007 at 3:07 pm
meridith
this is great seeing more lists
kikimarie…welcome to the site! not all of us that contribute to the site are literally moms (i’m not!) ….mama is sort of a relative term here 🙂 all music lovers are welcome here! (non-music lovers are welcome too). ok…..that’s my disclaimer for the day 🙂
October 12, 2007 at 5:18 pm
LeS
Wow. I have to say, I wish I had thought of this 🙂 HOORAY – to have found your spot on the web! I agree with the crew that a definitive five is just too difficult for a diehard music lover. I think an album list should definitely be about how the arc of the entire album works together from start to finish so with that in mind, here’s my list:
Patty Griffin – Living With Ghosts
Radiohead – Kid A
Crowded House – Temple of Low Men
Spoon – Gimme Fiction
Roxy Music – Avalon
(it was hard not include Feist on the list!!)
October 13, 2007 at 1:11 am
andrea
i love this idea, very fun!
my top five this week are:
neko case – furnace room lullaby
the shins – chutes too narrow
elvis costello – almost blue
whiskeytown – faithless street
dr. dre – the chronic
October 13, 2007 at 1:39 am
joy
the chronic….classic
tapestry….how can I forget that one!
and james brown….always a crowd pleaser!!!
I love everyones lists, meridith I forgot SW on my list which is a shame:) Jon has them all on itunes and can’t listen to that album at work b/c he sings out loud to it:) too funny!
October 13, 2007 at 11:18 am
andrea
oh, so great reading everyone’s lists here! I was hoping people would leave their lists. also a bit hard too, reading them all because it reminds me of some that I had to leave off my final list… after careful reexamination of my own choices, I think maybe I chose albums based on emotional attachment (and not so much how an album works together from start to finish, such a great way to put it, leS). not that some of the albums listed aren’t stellar in that way… though I do think my choices were rooted in something emotional. personally, what could I not live without hearing? and some of that is based on right now, too. meaning, some of this list could change in a year. that said, here are some I had a really hard time leaving off the list:
a tribe called quest– either the anthology or the low end theory album– meridith, I’m right there with you, sister. a tribe called quest is so classic (and so life-changing to me in terms of hip hop), I can’t believe they’re not on my list. and de la soul! omg, de la soul. which makes me think we need to do a friday five of must have HIP HOP albums.
the shins– chutes too narrow
and if I’m being comletely and totally honest here: U2’s joshua tree.
also very difficult to leave off the list: stevie wonder, thelonious monk, john coltrane, nina simone.
dave x, what can I say about the sufjan stevens thing? his music really does something to me and I am listening to all his albums over and over and over. had to have sufjan in there somewhere. though I’m thinking maybe I should’ve chosen avalanche: outtakes and extras from the illinoise album. that one sends me over the moon.
but probably the greatest thing about this post is how much conversation about music it generates. and wow, can’t wait to revisit (and in some cases, check out) some of the albums listed here in both the post and the comments section.
wouldn’t that be just the bees knees if we could have this every friday?
October 13, 2007 at 12:17 pm
tiegs
Andrea, I couldnt agree more! How I love seeing the passion people have for their music. I am so excited by the response and the plethora of amazing albums that are listed here. Hurray!
October 13, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Daniela
YaHOOO! Girls talkin ’bout music. Was just craving something like this – to start or find a forum like this and *poof* there you be. Fun, and THINK of the possibilities!
Hmmmm…..five……five amazing works that I could never imagine being without, that move me EVERY time I hear them, would have to be:
*Al Green – Your Heart’s in Good Hands
*The Be Good Tanyas – Blue Horse
*Moby – 18
*Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny – Beyond the Missouri Sky
*Paulo Beschi, Yo-Yo Ma or a raw Pablo Casals or anyone doing the entire Bach Cello Suites
Picking only 5 also means I have to leave out Ryan Adam’s Heartbreaker, and Josh Ritter’s Golden Age of Radio, Vladimir Ashkenazy’s Chopin Piano Works Vol. VIII and Willie Nelson’s Stardust, and I can’t believe there wasn’t room for The Bulgarian State Radio + Television Female Choir’s Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares!
And of course this makes me feel disloyal to my girls Alicia, Lucinda, Gillian, Beth, Jolie, Alison, Shelby and Norah who ALL speak to my visceral needs as well. Ok, so this is cheating, but I get excited, and nothing moves me quite like the music can. So, thanks again, and looking forward to playing in this sandbox!
Daniela
October 15, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Stratos
Ok, here are mine (I am sure I could add another 45 to the list):
– Grace, by Jeff Buckley
– Hejira, by Joni Mitchell
– Hounds Of Love, by kate Bush
– The quadruple box set by the Temptations
– All You Can Eat, by k d lang
October 17, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Brad
top 5 lists are always the best. High Fidelity all the way. here are my current top 5 worship albums that I have been listening to.
1. The Glorious Unseen – Tonight the Stars Speak
2. Hillsong United – All of the Above
3. Delirious – Glo
4. Hillsong United – United We Stand
5. Matt Redman – Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs of Matt Redman
October 19, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Brad
so I just realized that I should have put my top 5 MUST HAVE…well here ya go…
1. At San Quentin – Johnny Cash
2. All That You Can’t Leave Behind – U2
3. Grind – Jawbone Hill
4. The Colour And The Shape – Foo Fighters
5. White Pony – Deftones