This is completely opinion.......

But since sound design is what i work in professionally... i would hope i know a thing or 2 when it comes to it on albums

Here are my personal favorites! and why.

please add any! and also say why cause I'm actually very interested

1. Songs In The Key Of Life

Not much to say here, we all know it's an amazing record. The instrumentals, the layers of sound & the deep textures make this an absolute masterpiece of sound

2. Beck- Sea Change

this album sounds warm, dark, funny & full of atmosphere. The ambiance of this album is amazing. I'm a big Nigel Godrich fan via THE RADIOHEADS

3. Gill Scott Heron- Pieces Of A Man

Simple, direct raw but POWERFUL production. That shows Gill's poetry to a perfect beat.

4. Prince Sign ''O'' The Times

Dry, clean, bass-light, with his trademark guitar-sound and brass section. Sound effects, varispeed vocals, wild guitar solos – unparalleled

5. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Producer Trevor Horn plays EVERYTHING, tight bass & dance sounds. Hard hitting drum machines & stylistic layers of background vocals.

Trevor is a beast! so very underrated

6. Guns N Roses- Use Your Illusion

The way it blends guitars, orchestras, southern licks, metal solos & Elton John/Stevie Wonder type piano solos is top notch & few rock albums have topped it's sound.

7. Imogan heap- Speak For Yourself

The girl plays the light fittings in her studio & puts it on record, then layers of distorted guitars, pop beats, background vocals, arguing vocals, and weird glitchy skips on purpose.. this album is a great freaky sound experience!

8. Peter Gabriel- Security

An early staple of gated reverb, hard hitting amazing bass lines from Tony Levin, distinctive raw, dark, emotional production techniques. A masterpiece of sound imo

9. Grace Jones- nightclubbing

Sly & Robby at the top of the game!

Featuring hard hitting bass lines, reggae flavored synths & guitar solos. But with a mix of rock, french pop & goth music raped into one.

10. Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue

The dark, moody layers of every instrument & the way everything sounds so clean & crisp! one of the best sounding records of the time & in the present

11. Primal Scream- Vanishing Point

The way the bass & clarinet mix into one, almost making it's own band is... rather unique & something i want to do sometime!

12. Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys

he instruments are all effected so it sounds like a trip to a magical California wonderland & Brian Wilson was using additive synthesis long before the synthesiser became big decades later.

13. Blur- Parklife

The combo of rock, dance beats & British humor mixed together though with the upbeat styles of Stephen Street & Hague, and you have the definitive britpop album of the 90's(Eat it Oasis!)

14. Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet

Full of samples, huge layers of music by Hank Shocklee, this is imo the best produced rap album of the early 90s{Yes better then the chronic & 2pacalypse now}

15. Digable Planets- Blowout Comb

Powerful funk, dance & rock beats that sound just perfect when listened to on big headphones

16. Wu-Tang Clan- Return Of The 36 Chambers

The way it moves from martial arts movie samples, to verse after verse, to obsecure piano chords. This album sounds cold & delicious.

17. David bowie- Low

Tony Visconti & bowies bleak production is amazing on this album, it sounds chaotic, dark & a dark hummer of events the characters are going through coming to a dark end.

Very adventurous production style to

18. Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited

My favorite Bob album & the one with best production from Bob Johnston.

The organ chords, guitar structure & sharp garage sounding drums make this album a classic

19. Depeche Mode- Music For The Masses

Great blend of different electronic sounds, layers of vocals & orchestration. That make a brooding listening experience

20. The Beatles- The White Album

Yes a cliche pick(Hell any Beatles album is )

But the sonic textures, the heavy metal before it was metal guitars, the harmony... everything on this album is amazing

Honorable mentions

1. Goldfrap- Felt Mountain

2. Kanye West- My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy

3. Marvin Gaye- What's Going On

4. Pet Shop Boys- Very

5. Stevie Wonder- Innervisions

6. Nina Hagen- Nunsexmonkrock

7. Outkast- Aquemini

8. Aaliyah- Aaliyah

9. Ice Cube- The Predator

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication

11. U2- Achtung Baby

Gunsnhalen said:

This is completely opinion.......

But since sound design is what i work in professionally... i would hope i know a thing or 2 when it comes to it on albums

Here are my personal favorites! and why.

please add any! and also say why cause I'm actually very interested

1. Songs In The Key Of Life

Not much to say here, we all know it's an amazing record. The instrumentals, the layers of sound & the deep textures make this an absolute masterpiece of sound

2. Beck- Sea Change

this album sounds warm, dark, funny & full of atmosphere. The ambiance of this album is amazing. I'm a big Nigel Godrich fan via THE RADIOHEADS

3. Gill Scott Heron- Pieces Of A Man

Simple, direct raw but POWERFUL production. That shows Gill's poetry to a perfect beat.

4. Prince Sign ''O'' The Times

Dry, clean, bass-light, with his trademark guitar-sound and brass section. Sound effects, varispeed vocals, wild guitar solos – unparalleled

5. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Producer Trevor Horn plays EVERYTHING, tight bass & dance sounds. Hard hitting drum machines & stylistic layers of background vocals.

Trevor is a beast! so very underrated

6. Guns N Roses- Use Your Illusion

The way it blends guitars, orchestras, southern licks, metal solos & Elton John/Stevie Wonder type piano solos is top notch & few rock albums have topped it's sound.

7. Imogan heap- Speak For Yourself

The girl plays the light fittings in her studio & puts it on record, then layers of distorted guitars, pop beats, background vocals, arguing vocals, and weird glitchy skips on purpose.. this album is a great freaky sound experience!

8. Peter Gabriel- Security

An early staple of gated reverb, hard hitting amazing bass lines from Tony Levin, distinctive raw, dark, emotional production techniques. A masterpiece of sound imo

9. Grace Jones- nightclubbing

Sly & Robby at the top of the game!

Featuring hard hitting bass lines, reggae flavored synths & guitar solos. But with a mix of rock, french pop & goth music raped into one.

10. Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue

The dark, moody layers of every instrument & the way everything sounds so clean & crisp! one of the best sounding records of the time & in the present

11. Primal Scream- Vanishing Point

The way the bass & clarinet mix into one, almost making it's own band is... rather unique & something i want to do sometime!

12. Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys

he instruments are all effected so it sounds like a trip to a magical California wonderland & Brian Wilson was using additive synthesis long before the synthesiser became big decades later.

13. Blur- Parklife

The combo of rock, dance beats & British humor mixed together though with the upbeat styles of Stephen Street & Hague, and you have the definitive britpop album of the 90's(Eat it Oasis!)

14. Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet

Full of samples, huge layers of music by Hank Shocklee, this is imo the best produced rap album of the early 90s{Yes better then the chronic & 2pacalypse now}

15. Digable Planets- Blowout Comb

Powerful funk, dance & rock beats that sound just perfect when listened to on big headphones

16. Wu-Tang Clan- Return Of The 36 Chambers

The way it moves from martial arts movie samples, to verse after verse, to obsecure piano chords. This album sounds cold & delicious.

17. David bowie- Low

Tony Visconti & bowies bleak production is amazing on this album, it sounds chaotic, dark & a dark hummer of events the characters are going through coming to a dark end.

Very adventurous production style to

18. Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited

My favorite Bob album & the one with best production from Bob Johnston.

The organ chords, guitar structure & sharp garage sounding drums make this album a classic

19. Depeche Mode- Music For The Masses

Great blend of different electronic sounds, layers of vocals & orchestration. That make a brooding listening experience

20. The Beatles- The White Album

Yes a cliche pick(Hell any Beatles album is )

But the sonic textures, the heavy metal before it was metal guitars, the harmony... everything on this album is amazing

Honorable mentions

1. Goldfrap- Felt Mountain

2. Kanye West- My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy

3. Marvin Gaye- What's Going On

4. Pet Shop Boys- Very

5. Stevie Wonder- Innervisions

6. Nina Hagen- Nunsexmonkrock

7. Outkast- Aquemini

8. Aaliyah- Aaliyah

9. Ice Cube- The Predator

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication

11. U2- Achtung Baby

This is a great thread idea if I ever saw one. I'm listing

pop records and not jazz/classical music records:

1999

OK Computer

Achtung Baby

1984

What's Goin' On

Thriller

Parade

Are You Gonna Go My Way?

The Man Who

The White Album

What's The Story Morning Glory?

Number 1#:

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Pinkerton_cover.jpg[/img:$uid]

duccichucka said:

Gunsnhalen said:

This is completely opinion.......

But since sound design is what i work in professionally... i would hope i know a thing or 2 when it comes to it on albums

Here are my personal favorites! and why.

please add any! and also say why cause I'm actually very interested

1. Songs In The Key Of Life

Not much to say here, we all know it's an amazing record. The instrumentals, the layers of sound & the deep textures make this an absolute masterpiece of sound

2. Beck- Sea Change

this album sounds warm, dark, funny & full of atmosphere. The ambiance of this album is amazing. I'm a big Nigel Godrich fan via THE RADIOHEADS

3. Gill Scott Heron- Pieces Of A Man

Simple, direct raw but POWERFUL production. That shows Gill's poetry to a perfect beat.

4. Prince Sign ''O'' The Times

Dry, clean, bass-light, with his trademark guitar-sound and brass section. Sound effects, varispeed vocals, wild guitar solos – unparalleled

5. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Producer Trevor Horn plays EVERYTHING, tight bass & dance sounds. Hard hitting drum machines & stylistic layers of background vocals.

Trevor is a beast! so very underrated

6. Guns N Roses- Use Your Illusion

The way it blends guitars, orchestras, southern licks, metal solos & Elton John/Stevie Wonder type piano solos is top notch & few rock albums have topped it's sound.

7. Imogan heap- Speak For Yourself

The girl plays the light fittings in her studio & puts it on record, then layers of distorted guitars, pop beats, background vocals, arguing vocals, and weird glitchy skips on purpose.. this album is a great freaky sound experience!

8. Peter Gabriel- Security

An early staple of gated reverb, hard hitting amazing bass lines from Tony Levin, distinctive raw, dark, emotional production techniques. A masterpiece of sound imo

9. Grace Jones- nightclubbing

Sly & Robby at the top of the game!

Featuring hard hitting bass lines, reggae flavored synths & guitar solos. But with a mix of rock, french pop & goth music raped into one.

10. Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue

The dark, moody layers of every instrument & the way everything sounds so clean & crisp! one of the best sounding records of the time & in the present

11. Primal Scream- Vanishing Point

The way the bass & clarinet mix into one, almost making it's own band is... rather unique & something i want to do sometime!

12. Pet Sounds- The Beach Boys

he instruments are all effected so it sounds like a trip to a magical California wonderland & Brian Wilson was using additive synthesis long before the synthesiser became big decades later.

13. Blur- Parklife

The combo of rock, dance beats & British humor mixed together though with the upbeat styles of Stephen Street & Hague, and you have the definitive britpop album of the 90's(Eat it Oasis!)

14. Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet

Full of samples, huge layers of music by Hank Shocklee, this is imo the best produced rap album of the early 90s{Yes better then the chronic & 2pacalypse now}

15. Digable Planets- Blowout Comb

Powerful funk, dance & rock beats that sound just perfect when listened to on big headphones

16. Wu-Tang Clan- Return Of The 36 Chambers

The way it moves from martial arts movie samples, to verse after verse, to obsecure piano chords. This album sounds cold & delicious.

17. David bowie- Low

Tony Visconti & bowies bleak production is amazing on this album, it sounds chaotic, dark & a dark hummer of events the characters are going through coming to a dark end.

Very adventurous production style to

18. Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited

My favorite Bob album & the one with best production from Bob Johnston.

The organ chords, guitar structure & sharp garage sounding drums make this album a classic

19. Depeche Mode- Music For The Masses

Great blend of different electronic sounds, layers of vocals & orchestration. That make a brooding listening experience

20. The Beatles- The White Album

Yes a cliche pick(Hell any Beatles album is )

But the sonic textures, the heavy metal before it was metal guitars, the harmony... everything on this album is amazing

Honorable mentions

1. Goldfrap- Felt Mountain

2. Kanye West- My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy

3. Marvin Gaye- What's Going On

4. Pet Shop Boys- Very

5. Stevie Wonder- Innervisions

6. Nina Hagen- Nunsexmonkrock

7. Outkast- Aquemini

8. Aaliyah- Aaliyah

9. Ice Cube- The Predator

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication

11. U2- Achtung Baby

This is a great thread idea if I ever saw one. I'm listing

pop records and not jazz/classical music records:

1999

OK Computer

Achtung Baby

1984

What's Goin' On

Thriller

Parade

Are You Gonna Go My Way?

The Man Who

The White Album

What's The Story Morning Glory?

Number 1#:

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Pinkerton_cover.jpg[/img:$uid]

That Weezer album is bomb!!, man i forgot all about that one/:, Butterfly & the Good Life are beast!!!

All the other choices are top notch to!, also good to see Lenny get some love.

You by sound design,,,,,mixing?

Harlepolis said:

You by sound design,,,,,mixing?

I do boom operator & sound mixing for short films, commercials, music videos etc.

And very on occassion music as well recently.

Gunsnhalen said:

Harlepolis said:

You by sound design,,,,,mixing?

I do boom operator & sound mixing for short films, commercials, music videos etc.

And very on occassion music as well recently.

That is a helluva profession to get into. Never been into or even noticed the dynamic of sound designs until I watched David Lynch's movies.

As for the albums, I have many in mind, but the ones that ring in my head the most are Sly Stone's "Riot" & "Fresh". You can tell that the mixing process was the focal point when it came to him when he recorded those albums. Those two are the ultimate headphones albums IMO.

I could talk about Talking Book and Lets Take It To The Stage but thats another subject for another day.

Harlepolis said:

Gunsnhalen said:

I do boom operator & sound mixing for short films, commercials, music videos etc.

And very on occassion music as well recently.

That is a helluva profession to get into. Never been into or even noticed the dynamic of sound designs until I watched David Lynch's movies.

As for the albums, I have many in mind, but the ones that ring in my head the most are Sly Stone's "Riot" & "Fresh". You can tell that the mixing process was the focal point when it came to him when he recorded those albums. Those two are the ultimate headphones albums IMO.

I could talk about Talking Book and Lets Take It To The Stage but thats another subject for another day.

Talking Book & Riot are amazing albums, and the sound aspect is probably imot he most important

So much going on in both albums, that i seem to find new thing's every single time i hear it!

I heard David Lynch put distorted sounds of Volcanos for some of the more eerie backdrops in Blue Velvet

Gunsnhalen said:

Harlepolis said:

That is a helluva profession to get into. Never been into or even noticed the dynamic of sound designs until I watched David Lynch's movies.

As for the albums, I have many in mind, but the ones that ring in my head the most are Sly Stone's "Riot" & "Fresh". You can tell that the mixing process was the focal point when it came to him when he recorded those albums. Those two are the ultimate headphones albums IMO.

I could talk about Talking Book and Lets Take It To The Stage but thats another subject for another day.

Talking Book & Riot are amazing albums, and the sound aspect is probably imot he most important

So much going on in both albums, that i seem to find new thing's every single time i hear it!

I heard David Lynch put distorted sounds of Volcanos for some of the more eerie backdrops in Blue Velvet

Not only "Blue Velvet" but damn near all his films(Didn't notice this till Twin Peaks during the height of my fandom when I didn't wanna miss any detail).

I forgot the name of his sound man, I think you can find him in his imdb page. Saw one of the special features in one of his DVDs, and he said that the sound design is as crucial as the characters and the production in the storytelling process.

Prince went through a somewhat similar phase in 86/87, and Stevie raised HELL during his classic days. It was either Bob or Cecil who said in a documentary that they mixed those albums in a way that makes the listener feels like he sitting right in front of a drums kit - which was Stevie's intention at the time - again, never crossed my mind but it sure shifted my attention to his drum playing as opposed to the whole production in general.

I'm kinda drawing a blank at this moment but off the top of my head i would add.

Streetcleaner, Godflesh

Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, Killing Joke

The albums Thrak and EleKtriK, King Crimson

Tales from Topographic Oceans, Yes

The Snow Goose, Camel

In a Glass House, Gentle Giant

Loaded, Brotha Lynch Hung

By the way, excellent thread Guns. I'm looking forward to the posts.

The clarity and air on Steely Dans "Aja" is amazing. Even more so, considering the number of instruments involved. Obviously the arrangment is key to that too, but a brilliant recording nonetheless. Also their album the Royal Scam.

Michael Jacksons "History" is an deftly produced collage of sound.

nd33 said:

The clarity and air on Steely Dans "Aja" is amazing. Even more so, considering the number of instruments involved. Obviously the arrangment is key to that too, but a brilliant recording nonetheless. Also their album the Royal Scam.

Michael Jacksons "History" is an deftly produced collage of sound.

nd33 said:

The clarity and air on Steely Dans "Aja" is amazing. Even more so, considering the number of instruments involved. Obviously the arrangment is key to that too, but a brilliant recording nonetheless. Also their album the Royal Scam.

Michael Jacksons "History" is an deftly produced collage of sound.

and Off The Wall

I always thought Hounds of Love by Kate Bush was an amazing sounding record also Dr Feelgood by Motley Crue had a massive sound

IstenSzek said:

Bjork's "vespertine" surely deserves a mention on this thread And I absolutely agree with Beck's "sea change" which is one of the best sounding albums ever.

OMG!

How could I have forgotten that record? I agree 100% with you!

How can a record sound so frosty and warm at the same time?

duccichucka said:

IstenSzek said:

Bjork's "vespertine" surely deserves a mention on this thread And I absolutely agree with Beck's "sea change" which is one of the best sounding albums ever.

OMG!

How could I have forgotten that record? I agree 100% with you!

How can a record sound so frosty and warm at the same time?

i know, right! it's like cuddling up to a warm fire inside a cathedral of ice and snow.

Of the CD age:

Nico-The Marble Index

Fever Ray-Fever Ray

Schwarz Stein-New Vogue Children

Brian Eno-On Land

Cocteau Twins-Victorialand, Garlands

The Cure-Faith, Pornography, Seventeen Seconds

Smashing Pumpkins-Adore

Malice Mizer- Bara No Seidou, Merveilles, Memoire

Sopor Aeternus And The Ensemble of Shadows- Dead Lovers Serabande 1 and 2

Christian Death-Only Theatre Of Pain

Gackt- Mars

Prince-Parade, Around The World In A Day

David Bowie-Honky Dory

Whilst I own the "Crimson tide" OST, the one below is apparantly near impossible to find in it's original vinyl state:

It's appprantly amazing sounding for true audiophiles. Abit random I know but true apparantly....

Dark Side of the Moon