PERFECT albums

[Matt]

I define a PERFECT album as having the following criteria: at least 75% of the songs are GREAT and the rest are, at the very least, VERY GOOD. There are no bad/filler songs.

Personally, I'd also add that the following:
1. The songs are originals written by/for the band itself.
2. Not a greatest hits album.

[Captain Russ]

The Killers.

Hot Fuss.

COME AT ME BRO

[Matt]

1. Pearl Jam: 'VS'

Their second album. It fulfills the promise that the first album merely hinted at. I can listen to it front to back without any issue. It's literally filled with absolutely classic rock:
'Animal'
'Daughter'
'Dissident'
'Rearviewmirror'
'Elderly Woman Behind...'
'Leash'
'Indifference'

The rest of the songs are, at the very least, REALLY GOOD.

It's filled with passion and energy. It has a 'recorded live in one take' feel to it that emphasizes the mistakes (and there are a few) to the overall benefit of the vibe that the album generates.

Love it.

[Captain Russ]

At The Drive-In's Relationship of Command.

While it has a couple of lulls in the absolute sonic fury present everywhere else on the album, it is an out-and-out amazing and nigh-relentless swan song that to me remains an amazing time capsule before everyone and their mother came out of the woodwork to rape and pillage its corpse with unoriginal and uninspired postpunk asshattery.

Almost perfect is perfect in this case.

And I was serious about Hot Fuss too. It is a fantastic glam/pop/dance-rock record from start to finish.

[Howard]

I'm going to go unconventional.

Bonnie Rait - Nick of Time

Probably the third tape I owned that I wore out.

Thing Called Love gets the most love but the entire album is blues/folk gold.

[Captain Russ]

That is a great fucking album.

Nice choice, H.

I'll go ahead and also say that Fountains of Wayne's Welcome Interstate Managers is also a perfect record. Seriously. No. Stop laughing. Looking beyond that "Stacy's Mom" explosion from years back, it is an expertly crafted and robust pop album.

[Matt]

'Nick of Time' is fantastic. Haven't listened to that one in a long, long time. I remember 'Luck of the Draw' being pretty damned solid too.

[Howard]

Love her voice. I've always had a soft spot for blues.

Ok. An obvious choice.

Michael Jackson - Thriller

A part of me wishes that he could have recorded a comeback album. Would have been interesting, at the very least.

[Matt]

Rush: 'Moving Pictures'. It's not my favorite Rush album, but it's the one that probably comes the closest to being perfect. The songs, the musicianship, the production...it's all there. Front to back, it's perfect.

CLOSE to perfect:
'Permanent Waves'
'Signals'
'Hemispheres'
'2112'
'A Farewell to Kings'

[Timothy225]

I'd argue with you on 'Signals', and raise you 'Power Windows' on the Rush perfection scale, but solid choice, regardless, Matt.

My perfect choices, at the moment:
Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Pearl Jam - Vs.
Motorhead - Orgasmatron
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
Nirvana - Nevermind
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

[Captain Russ]

Tim by the 'Mats. It is perfect. Per. Fick. Every song is a bottled promise of something great, something tragic, something nostalgic, or sometimes all of those things.

[Matt]

'Tim' is great, but I always preferred 'Pleased to Meet Me'.

[Captain Russ]

That's another perfect one.

Preference is inconsequential, you'll enjoy the hell out of both or my name ain't Nathan Arizona.

[Timothy225]

'Tim' is great, but I always preferred 'Pleased to Meet Me'.

Both are pretty solid, and worthy, inclusions to the list. I'd lean towards 'Pleased to Meet Me' mostly for the song 'Alex Chilton'.

[Captain Russ]

If not for that, certainly for 'Valentine'.