Recommended Albums

Albums - remember those? No, not necessarily vinyl - I prefer CDs. But I'm talking about a well thought-out and well put-together set of songs by a single artist or group. This is an evolving list of albums that I recommend you check out. They are ranked (somewhat roughly) within the year of release. If you seem to like the same types of music and have a recommendation, let me know! -- moehlis@engineering.ucsb.edu

Back to Jeff's website.
  • Pre-1967
    Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)
    Beatles - Help! (1965)
    Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965)
    Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
    The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965)
    Beatles - Revolver (1966)

  • 1967
    1. Velvet Underground & Nico
    2. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
    3. The Doors - The Doors
    4. Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
    5. Cream - Disraeli Gears
    6. Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love
    7. Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat
    8. Nico - Chelsea Girl
    9. Country Joe and the Fish - Electric Music for Mind and Body
    10. Love - Forever Changes
    11. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
    12. Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
    13. The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
    14. Moby Grape - Moby Grape
    15. Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding
    16. Vanilla Fudge - Vanilla Fudge
    17. Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing at Baxter's
    18. Captain Beefheart - Safe as Milk

  • 1968
    1. The Beatles - White Album
    2. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
    3. The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society
    4. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen
    5. Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets
    6. Wendy Carlos - Switched On Bach
    7. United States of America - United States of America
    8. Traffic - Traffic
    9. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
    10. Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues
    11. Cream - Wheels of Fire
    12. The Soft Machine - Volume One
    13. Jefferson Airplane - Crown of Creation
    14. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
    15. Silver Apples - Silver Apples
    16. Dr. John - Gris-Gris
    17. The Electric Prunes - Release of an Oath

  • 1969
    1. The Beatles - Abbey Road
    2. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
    3. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
    4. The Who - Tommy
    5. Miles Davis - In a Silent Way
    6. Fairport Convention - Liege & Lief
    7. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
    8. The Kinks - Arthur
    9. Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking
    10. Sly and the Family Stone - Stand
    11. Led Zeppelin - II
    12. Van Der Graaf Generator - The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other
    13. The Stooges - The Stooges
    14. Led Zeppelin - I
    15. Can - Monster Movie
    16. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
    17. Terry Riley - Rainbow in Curved Air
    18. Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy
    19. The Soft Machine - Volume Two
    20. Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers
    21. Alice Cooper - Pretties For You
    22. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
    23. Joe Byrd and the Field Hippies - The American Metaphysical Circus
    24. Euphoria - Gift from Euphoria

  • 1970
    1. Miles Davis - A Tribute to Jack Johnson
    2. The Move - Shazam
    3. Spirit - Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
    4. The Velvet Underground - Loaded
    5. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
    6. The Stooges - Fun House
    7. The Beatles - Let It Be
    8. The Who - Live at Leeds
    9. Jethro Tull - Benefit
    10. John Cale - Vintage Violence
    11. Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs
    12. John McLaughlin - Devotion
    13. Can - Tago Mago
    14. Grateful Dead - American Beauty
    15. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
    16. The Kinks - Lola vs. the Powerman & the Money-Go-Round, Pt. 1
    17. Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
    18. Van Der Graaf Generator - H to He, Who Am the Only One
    19. Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead
    20. Magma - Magma
    21. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
    22. Popol Vuh - Affenstunde
    23. Tangerine Dream - Electronic Meditation
    24. Yes - Time and a Word
    25. Led Zeppelin - III
    26. Syd Barrett - Barrett

  • 1971
    1. Led Zeppelin - IV
    2. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
    3. John Cale - Church of Anthrax
    4. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
    5. Eugene McDaniels - Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse
    6. Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
    7. David Bowie - Hunky Dory
    8. Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
    9. Roy Harper - Stormcock
    10. Genesis - Nursery Cryme
    11. The Who - Who's Next
    12. Brainticket - Cottonwoodhill
    13. Pink Fairies - Neverneverland
    14. Kevin Ayers - Whatevershebringswesing
    15. T. Rex - Electric Warrior
    16. Leo Kottke - 6- and 12- String Guitar
    17. Kraftwerk - 1
    18. Faust - Faust
    19. Leo Kottke - Mudlark
    20. Ash Ra Tempel - Ash Ra Tempel

  • 1972
    1. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
    2. Faust - So Far
    3. Big Star - #1 Record
    4. Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
    5. Matching Mole - Matching Mole
    6. Aphrodite's Child - 666
    7. Lou Reed - Transformer
    8. Wendy Carlos - A Clockwork Orange
    9. Yes - Fragile
    10. Budgie - Squawk
    11. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
    12. Lou Reed - Lou Reed
    13. Can - Ege Bamyasi
    14. T. Rex - The Slider
    15. Deep Purple - Machine Head
    16. Miles Davis - On the Corner
    17. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
    18. Roxy Music - Roxy Music
    19. Neu! - Neu!
    20. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
    21. Cluster II

  • 1973
    1. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon
    2. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
    3. Lou Reed - Berlin
    4. King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic
    5. Jethro Tull - A Passion Play
    6. Robert Fripp and Brian Eno - No Pussyfooting
    7. Hawkwind - Space Ritual
    8. Gong - Flying Teapot
    9. The Who - Quadrophenia
    10. Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh
    11. The Stooges - Raw Power
    12. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
    13. Faust - Faust IV
    14. Vangelis - Earth
    15. The Cosmic Jokers - The Cosmic Jokers
    16. Faust - The Faust Tapes
    17. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
    18. Todd Rundgren - A Wizard/A True Star
    19. Kevin Ayers - Bananamour
    20. Rick Wakeman - The Six Wives of Henry VIII
    21. Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company - "
    22. Gong - Angel's Egg

  • 1974
    1. King Crimson - Red
    2. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom
    3. Peter Hammill - In Camera
    4. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
    5. Yes - Relayer
    6. Jorma Kaukonen - Quah
    7. Harmonia - Harmonia
    8. Roxy Music - Country Life
    9. Yahowha 13 - I'm Gonna Take You Home
    10. Utopia - Todd Rundgren's Utopia
    11. Big Star - Radio City
    12. Miles Davis - Dark Magus
    13. Yahowha 13 - Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony
    14. Be Bop Deluxe - Axe Victim
    15. Popol Vuh - Einjager & Siebenjager
    16. Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
    17. Gong - You
    18. Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky
    19. Magma - Kohntarkosz
    20. Father Yod and the Spirit of '76 - Contraction

  • 1975
    1. Brian Eno - Another Green World
    2. Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
    3. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
    4. Magma - Live
    5. The Dictators - Go Girl Crazy!
    6. Patti Smith - Horses
    7. Shakti - Shakti With John McLaughlin
    8. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night
    9. Neu! - Neu! '75
    10. Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos
    11. Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity
    12. Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff
    13. Jethro Tull - Minstrel in the Gallery
    14. Budgie - Bandolier
    15. Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

  • 1976
    1. Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene
    2. The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
    3. David Bowie - Station to Station
    4. La Dusseldorf - La Dusseldorf
    5. 801 - Live
    6. The Ramones - The Ramones

  • 1977
    1. Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks
    2. Wire - Pink Flag
    3. Television - Marquee Moon
    4. David Bowie - Low
    5. Pink Floyd - Animals
    6. The Damned - Damned, Damned, Damned
    7. Richard Hell and the Voidoids - Blank Generation
    8. The Clash - The Clash
    9. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
    10. The Stranglers - No More Heroes
    11. Suicide - Suicide
    12. Hawkwind - Quark, Strangeness and Charm
    13. The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus
    14. Tim Blake - Crystal Machine

  • 1978
    1. The Rutles - The Rutles
    2. Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream
    3. X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescents
    4. Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine
    5. Brian Eno - Music For Airports
    6. Jay Ferguson - Thunder Island
    7. La Dusseldorf - Viva
    8. Johnny Thunders - So Alone
    9. Jean Michel Jarre - Equinoxe
    10. Kate Bush - Kick Inside
    11. Plastic People of the Universe - Egon Bondy's Happy Heart Club Banned
    11. The Rezillos - Can't Stand the Rezillos

  • 1979
    1. Pink Floyd - The Wall
    2. Robert Fripp - Exposure
    3. The Clash - London Calling
    4. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
    5. The Damned - Machine Gun Ettiquette
    6. Gang of Four - Entertainment!
    7. The B-52's - The B-52's

  • 1980
    1. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
    2. X - Los Angeles
    3. Talking Heads - Remain in Light
    4. Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
    5. Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition
    6. Holger Czukay - Movies
    7. Joy Division - Closer
    8. Suicide - The Second Album
    9. The Pretenders - The Pretenders
    10. Daryl Hall - Sacred Songs

  • Post-1980
    King Crimson - Discipline (1981)
    Brian Eno/David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)
    X - Wild Gift (1981)
    Glenn Branca - The Ascension (1981)
    Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
    Leo Kottke - Guitar Music (1981)
    Laurie Anderson - Big Science (1982)
    Lou Reed - The Blue Mask (1982)
    Descendents - Milo Goes to College (1982)
    Terry Riley - Descending Moonshine Dervishes (1983)
    Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983)
    Husker Du - Zen Arcade (1984)
    The Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
    Jean Michel Jarre - Zoolook (1984)
    Univers Zero - Uzed (1984)
    Replacements - Let It Be (1984)
    Laurie Anderson - United States Live (1984)
    Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984)
    The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)
    Marillion - Misplaced Childhood (1985)
    Plasticland - Plasticland (1985)
    Meat Puppets - Up On the Sun (1985)
    Ryuichi Sakamoto - Esperanto (1985)
    Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out (1985)
    Butthole Surfers - Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac (1985)
    Firehose - Ragin', Full-On (1986)
    Killdozer - 12 Point Buck (1987)
    Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)
    Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)
    Lard - Power Of Lard [EP] (1988)
    Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls (1989)
    Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)
    Philip Glass - Solo Piano (1989)
    Mike Oldfield - Amarok (1990)
    Lard - Last Temptation of Reid (1990)
    David Borden - The Continuing Story of Counterpoint, Parts 1-4+ (1990)
    Megadeth - Rust In Peace (1990)
    House of Large Sizes - Heat Miser (1990)
    Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual (1990)
    My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)
    Slint - Spiderland (1991)
    Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
    Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
    Stereolab - Peng (1992)
    Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine (1992)
    Nirvana - In Utero (1993)
    Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville (1993)
    The Flaming Lips - Transmissions from the The Satellite Heart (1993)
    Suede - Suede (1993)
    Elektric Music - Esperanto (1994)
    Royal Trux - Thank You (1995)
    Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)
    Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
    Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
    Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump (2000)
    Dictators - D.F.F.D. (2001)
    Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords (2008)

  • Honorable Mention:
    Fela Kuti - I find it difficult to rank Fela's albums, all of which, that I've heard at least, are remarkable. Well, someday I hope to work them into the above listings.

  • Some Great Compilations:
    Sandy Bull - Re-Inventions
    Simon and Garfunkel - Collected Works
    Mott the Hoople - Ballad of Mott: A Retrospective
    Birdsongs of the Mesozoic - Sonic Geology