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Turner68

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DandelionPowderman
Doctor Robert and Dead Flowers aren't masterpieces, imo.

Dr. Robert is an excellent song.

The lyrics are excellent

The "well well well" break is amazing.

It has also aged well. Play it next to "Mother's Little Helper" and compare. I could see a band today releasing the song and it being a hit, to whatever extent rock songs are hits these days.

The rhythmic guitars are deceptively simple and I love their tone.

The use of the Dorian mode gives it a distinctive feel.

The subtle, restrained use of the harmonium is exactly right.

Pauls' backing vocals beginning in the second verse add just the right feel.

My verdict: masterpiece.

Like I said, I love it. In fact I love everything about it. But it's far from a masterpiece for the Beatles.

EVERY song a masterpiece? That's a very tall order - for example Patti Smith's Horses is very nearly there but for Renando Beach. Same goes for numerous others.

Closest I can get from the top of my head would be -

Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Exile - Stones
Young Americans (Remastered expanded edition) - Bowie

Derek and the Dominoes- Layla

Well I wanna say Let it bleed. So yes. Let it bleed. Country Honk is not a masterpiece but they were so great then that the song becomes bigger than the singer. Let it bleed. and The Rolling Stones. Exile. Almost Aftermath.

I think there are very few albums where every song is a masterpiece but I would argue that there are albums that are masterpieces where every song contributes to that achievement though not every song might stand alone as a masterpiece. For example, Exile On Main Street is the greatest rock n roll album of all time IMHO but part of that is examining it as four sides of vinyl and how the sides are sequenced and the mood each side creates. Side two is my favourite but each side has its own perfection. Each song may not be a classic but it is still a part of a classic side and, by extension, classic album. As far as double albums go, London Calling is similar to Exile whereas Blonde On Blonde always gets downgraded by me because of its first song "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" which is such a bad song (though that never affected its popularity).

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stewedandkeefed
I think there are very few albums where every song is a masterpiece but I would argue that there are albums that are masterpieces where every song contributes to that achievement though not every song might stand alone as a masterpiece. For example, Exile On Main Street is the greatest rock n roll album of all time IMHO but part of that is examining it as four sides of vinyl and how the sides are sequenced and the mood each side creates. Side two is my favourite but each side has its own perfection. Each song may not be a classic but it is still a part of a classic side and, by extension, classic album. As far as double albums go, London Calling is similar to Exile whereas Blonde On Blonde always gets downgraded by me because of its first song "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" which is such a bad song (though that never affected its popularity).

I agree with this.
I think London Calling might be the only album that comes close to Exile as a unified masterpiece. The Beatles White Album is also a masterpiece but in a completely different way, as it is fragmentary.

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Turner68

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stewedandkeefed
I think there are very few albums where every song is a masterpiece but I would argue that there are albums that are masterpieces where every song contributes to that achievement though not every song might stand alone as a masterpiece. For example, Exile On Main Street is the greatest rock n roll album of all time IMHO but part of that is examining it as four sides of vinyl and how the sides are sequenced and the mood each side creates. Side two is my favourite but each side has its own perfection. Each song may not be a classic but it is still a part of a classic side and, by extension, classic album. As far as double albums go, London Calling is similar to Exile whereas Blonde On Blonde always gets downgraded by me because of its first song "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" which is such a bad song (though that never affected its popularity).

I agree with this.
I think London Calling might be the only album that comes close to Exile as a unified masterpiece. The Beatles White Album is also a masterpiece but in a completely different way, as it is fragmentary.

White album is a great record, but has several fillers like Ob-la-di and Bungalow Bill.

The sex change at the end of ob-la-di makes it a great song IMO. It justifies the sweet cheerful chorus and verses because it makes it more shocking when you realize something very unusual and forbidden (at the time) is actually being discussed when you hear the last verse.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-10-04 04:01 by Turner68.

Swordfishtrombones

Any album with a Beethoven symphony.

I've tried to compile lists for this thread, and the closet I came to was Abbey Road - but then Maxwell Silver Hammer ruined the party.
And then thought of the White album, but Revolution 9 came crashing in.
My older brother and I played that 'tune' backwards on our turntable shortly after it's release,
and as a young kid at the time it certainly gave me the willies.
Freaky recording yes, but masterpiece? Maybe to some, but not in my world.

Then maybe:
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors
Neil Young - Harvest
Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind

But all of these have their faults in some way,and are all just a matter of personal taste anyways- how does one define a universally accepted 'masterpiece'?
It's impossible. There will always be someone somewhere who sees and hears things differently.

As a Philosophy professor I took classes with in college years ago used to say: "Nothing's perfect".
He held to this philosophy so much that he never gave an A+ grade to any of his students during the course.
Lesson learned - there's no such thing as a record where EVERY song is a 'masterpiece'.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-10-04 04:42 by Hairball.

Nevermind, I take all that back!

Crosseyed Heart!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed 1969
Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out 1970
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers 1971
Rolling Stones - Black and Blue 1976
Rolling Stones - Some Girls 1978
Led Zeppelin - I 1969
Led Zeppelin - II 1969
Led Zeppelin - IV 1971
Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy 1973
Led Zeppelin - Presence 1976
The Beatles - Revolver 1966
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967
The Beatles - Abbey Road 1969
The Beatles - Let It Be 1970
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon 1973
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here 1975
The Who - Who's Next 1971
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced 1967
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland 1968
Yes - Fragile 1971
Yes - Close to the Edge 1972
The J.Geils Band - Bloodshot 1973
The J.Geils Band - Blow Your Face Out 1976
Michael Jackson - Thriller 1982
Boston - Boston 1976
Black Sabbath - Paranoid 1970
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory 1970
Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority 1969
Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive 1976
Humble Pie - Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore 1971
Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From The Road 1976

Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive 1976

Yes

OK, this is so difficult, but let's give it a go:

1. Jerry Lee Lewis: Live at the Star Club
2. Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks
3. Ray Charles: The Genius of (1959 Atlantic album)
4. Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out The Lights
5. Bobby Charles: 1972 Bobby Charles album
6. Keith Richards: Talk Is Cheap
7. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers
8. Miles Davis: Jack Johnson
9. Elvis Costello: Imperial Bedroom
10. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society

REM - Automatic For The People has to be pretty close.

Lennon: plastic ono band
Beatles: a hard days night

A Hard Days Night is ridiculously good.

Schubert: winterreise
Dinu lipatti: anything
Waits: swordfish maybe
Nirvana: nevermind
Iggy: the idiot
Vega: 99,9 F
Velvet : the debut and White light
Beach boys: smile possibly pet sounds
Ry cooder: paris texas
Michael jackson : thriller

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Redhotcarpet
Schubert: winterreise
Dinu lipatti: anything
Waits: swordfish maybe
Nirvana: nevermind
Iggy: the idiot
Vega: 99,9 F
Velvet : the debut and White light
Beach boys: smile possibly pet sounds
Ry cooder: paris texas
Michael jackson : thriller

"white light" is all masterpieces and "loaded" is not? hmm. i beg to differ.

ABBA ARRIVAL lol

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Turner68

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Redhotcarpet
Schubert: winterreise
Dinu lipatti: anything
Waits: swordfish maybe
Nirvana: nevermind
Iggy: the idiot
Vega: 99,9 F
Velvet : the debut and White light
Beach boys: smile possibly pet sounds
Ry cooder: paris texas
Michael jackson : thriller

"white light" is all masterpieces and "loaded" is not? hmm. i beg to differ.

loaded is also. I cant make up my mind there. Velvet released masterpieces. Every song more or less.

U2: achtung baby ( i love Pop and think its underrated).

Free - Fire And Water
John Fogerty - Blue Moon Swamp
Allman Brothers - Brothers And Sisters

What about Robert Cray's "Strong Persuader" ?

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LieB
It's really hard to decide if certain albums have ONLY masterpieces on them. Exile? Not sure. The album may be the greatest ever made by anybody, but I'm not sure if Ventilator Blues, Turd on the Run or Soul Survivor qualify as masterpieces. Pretty much the same with Beggars Banquet -- perhaps my favourite Stones album, but are Factory Girl, Dear Doctor or Salt of the Earth masterpieces? Let It Bleed is almost the opposite -- I think Banquet is a better album but Bleed has pretty much only masterpieces on it. At least as far as songwriting goes -- there are a bunch of songs (Rambler, Live With Me, Love In Vain) that sounded better on Ya-Ya's, for example. Don't know if this makes sense at all...

Salt of the earth is indeed a masterpiece (my favourite Rolling Stones song ever), but Dear doctor or Jigsaw puzzle are definitely no masterpieces! Beggars Banquet as a whole is a masterpiece because the 'weaker' songs shine in the context of the album.

Same goes for Let it bleed. Monkey man is no masterpiece, IMO it is not really a very good song. The studio Version of Mindnight rambler is rather boring, the song came to life with the brilliant live Versions (although Love in vain is stronger on the album, the same could be true for this song. But the Album as such is a masterpiece for the same reasons als Beggars Banquet, and it was the original source of those classic live versions.

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saltoftheearth

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LieB
It's really hard to decide if certain albums have ONLY masterpieces on them. Exile? Not sure. The album may be the greatest ever made by anybody, but I'm not sure if Ventilator Blues, Turd on the Run or Soul Survivor qualify as masterpieces. Pretty much the same with Beggars Banquet -- perhaps my favourite Stones album, but are Factory Girl, Dear Doctor or Salt of the Earth masterpieces? Let It Bleed is almost the opposite -- I think Banquet is a better album but Bleed has pretty much only masterpieces on it. At least as far as songwriting goes -- there are a bunch of songs (Rambler, Live With Me, Love In Vain) that sounded better on Ya-Ya's, for example. Don't know if this makes sense at all...

Salt of the earth is indeed a masterpiece (my favourite Rolling Stones song ever), but Dear doctor or Jigsaw puzzle are definitely no masterpieces! Beggars Banquet as a whole is a masterpiece because the 'weaker' songs shine in the context of the album.

Same goes for Let it bleed. Monkey man is no masterpiece, IMO it is not really a very good song. The studio Version of Mindnight rambler is rather boring, the song came to life with the brilliant live Versions (although Love in vain is stronger on the album, the same could be true for this song. But the Album as such is a masterpiece for the same reasons als Beggars Banquet, and it was the original source of those classic live versions.

Monkey Man is a masterpeice and the studio version is superior. I totally agree that the studio version of MR does not measure to the live sound of GYYO.

Carole King - Tapestry
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat

Del Shannon - Rock On!
Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Lou Reed - Transformer
Thåström - Skebokvarnsvägen 209

2 1 2 0

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Come On
Del Shannon - Rock On!
Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Lou Reed - Transformer
Thåström - Skebokvarnsvägen 209

Transformer is great - Spoke Spoke!!!!!