Best album? Options

[Wendy]

Wich Live-album do you like most and why??

Mine is "The distance to here" simple reason : i was 16 and it was the first time i ever heard about Live... (ok,that's a lie,cuz when i see the video's of Freaks and I alone,i remember myself seeing those on MTV i was 10 years old and watched MTV all day with my big sister )
I think it's the best album they ever made...

[Badman]

My brain says Mental Jewelry but my ears say Throwing copper.

[turkish101]

V!! Alright, just kidding. Someone's bound to make that joke, let's get it out of the way...

But yeah, TDTH is their best. I think it's one of their most cohesive albums; it has many of my personal favorites, and there's only one song I don't personally like (Sun). I can't really find much to complain about it. In regards to themes, it hits pretty close to home most of the time. It's also thematically a good mix - not too angry, not too questioning, not too preachy, not too sappy.

Plus, it's the album with the best b-sides.

[Pokey]

Secret Samadhi and Throwing Copper always seem to interchange .. all in all I'd say SS though.

It's just so different, it's out there and in it's own way experimental for the band. It took guts to not go ahead and make Throwing Copper 2 right after it's success and it got them a lot of bad press. I remember a review here about it when it came out that said it was from a band that "just wasn't trying anymore". Maybe in 2009 that could be true, but in 1997 it was just a ridiculous comment.

[+Ed+]

TDTH. Never changed since 1999. Best album in the history of rock music.

[FishOutaWater]

Mental Jewelry. A stunningly brilliant, passionate, artistic, musical expression of the teachings of Krishnamurti. I think there have few endeavors in the field of music that have so successfully and brilliantly accomplished such a feat. What makes it all the more extraordinary is that the album was created by a bunch of teenagers from a rural blue collar town in Pennsylvania. In my opinion, it holds up with the most poignant works of John Lennon, Dylan, etc. Every song means as much today as it did then. Brilliant use of metaphors. It tackles universal, spiritual elements of life experience. I can listen to that album a million times and not get sick of it. In fact, every time I listen to it, I take something new away from it.

[turkish101]

Mental Jewelry. A stunningly brilliant, passionate, artistic, musical expression of the teachings of Krishnamurti. I think there have few endeavors in the field of music that have so successfully and brilliantly accomplished such a feat. What makes it all the more extraordinary is that the album was created by a bunch of teenagers from a rural blue collar town in Pennsylvania. In my opinion, it holds up with the most poignant works of John Lennon, Dylan, etc. Every song means as much today as it did then. Brilliant use of metaphors. It tackles universal, spiritual elements of life experience. I can listen to that album a million times and not get sick of it. In fact, every time I listen to it, I take something new away from it.

I do have to give credit to MJ for introducing me to the work of Krishnamurti, whose teachings have become fairly significant in my life.

Still, I can't really get past the rough edges of the studio version... another reason I like TDTH is because, sonically, and vocally, this was the height of Live, in my own personal taste at least. And even though the lyrics have a wonderful message, they can still be a bit heavy-handed at times. I do love these songs in concert, though.

[FishOutaWater]

I initially fealt that way about the rough production quality of MJ and I wished that they would re-record it. But I have to admit that I now love the lower quality sound of the recordings, as I think it gives the album a raw sonic quality and matches the raw passion of the performances on the album. Four Songs is the same way. I analogize that to my appreciation for the photos of Henri Cartier-Bresson or some of the other black and white photographers of the early to mid 20th century. The photos are not crisp, sharp, colorful photos, but the raw quality adds to the art. Think of MJ as a black and white photo. I wouldn't want the drums on MJ to sound any other way than the way they do - like Chad was hammering on trash can lids. And I wouldn't want Ed to be singing "War in me..." in a perfectly produced falsetto. I like the strained screaming that sounds like it is coming from the throat.

[turkish101]

I initially fealt that way about the rough production quality of MJ and I wished that they would re-record it. But I have to admit that I now love the lower quality sound of the recordings, as I think it gives the album a raw sonic quality and matches the raw passion of the performances on the album. Four Songs is the same way. I analogize that to my appreciation for the photos of Henri Cartier-Bresson or some of the other black and white photographers of the early to mid 20th century. The photos are not crisp, sharp, colorful photos, but the raw quality adds to the art. Think of MJ as a black and white photo. I wouldn't want the drums on MJ to sound any other way than the way they do - like Chad was hammering on trash can lids. And I wouldn't want Ed to be singing "War in me..." in a perfectly produced falsetto. I like the strained screaming that sounds like it is coming from the throat.

Yeah, I can definitely understand where you're coming from - the roughness of it does work well with the songs. It's just a personal thing for me - TDTH is just easier on my ears... just a personal preference.

I really love concert versions of MJ, though.... well, older ones at least. Check out Live at Paradiso for an example of Operation Spirit being completely ruined.

Still, the MJ songs played in earlier concerts, even the TC-SS era... those are the best versions of those, to me, studio or live. The live performance gives them a rougher edge, but also allows them to sound a little more matured.

If that makes any sense.

[ekalexm]

The Distance To Here stands out for me, closely followed by Mental Jewelry. V and Songs From Black Mountain tie for the worst.

[LiveRoCkS77]

As much as I like MJ and TDTH, Throwing Copper is hands down their best. Not for it's commercial success but it's overall flow and content. The album tells a story from start to finish and there is no filler whatsoever.

Songs like I Alone, White Discussion and Lightning Crashes are simply epic. The dam at otter creek is the best opener they have off any album. Then you have songs like Selling The Drama, Iris and Stage, which are all pretty damn good in their own right. I Alone, WD, LC and Pillar of Davidson are all extremely well written. The basslines in TBD and Stage are paralelled only by PLOTR off Mental Jewelry. Then you have a couple of catchy as hell songs in Waitress and Shit Towne. And Did I even mention All Over You yet???


While I agree that TDTH may be a little more pleasant to the ears, it comes nowhere even fucking close to being as good as Throwing Copper. This album was a masterpiece and the only nineties album to better it would most likely be TEN from Pearl Jam, and that's saying quite a bit. TC was their best album a trillion times over.

[pizan0]

As much as I like MJ and TDTH, Throwing Copper is hands down their best. Not for it's commercial success but it's overall flow and content. The album tells a story from start to finish and there is no filler whatsoever.

Songs like I Alone, White Discussion and Lightning Crashes are simply epic. The dam at otter creek is the best opener they have off any album. Then you have songs like Selling The Drama, Iris and Stage, which are all pretty damn good in their own right. I Alone, WD, LC and Pillar of Davidson are all extremely well written. The basslines in TBD and Stage are paralelled only by PLOTR off Mental Jewelry. Then you have a couple of catchy as hell songs in Waitress and Shit Towne. And Did I even mention All Over You yet???
While I agree that TDTH may be a little more pleasant to the ears, it comes nowhere even fucking close to being as good as Throwing Copper. This album was a masterpiece and the only nineties album to better it would most likely be TEN from Pearl Jam, and that's saying quite a bit. TC was their best album a trillion times over.

Amen, a trillion times over. I truly believe that the commercial success of this album is one of the rare occasions in the music when quality music actually goes mainstream. Also, if you look at the time period this album came out in, it was literally the hay-day of 90's rock music. Still, it did well in the face of so many other great artists/albums at the time. This is not band-wagon jumping. I treasure almost every one of Live's albums, but Throwing Copper was epic because its a modern rock masterpiece: pure unadulterated passion.

[+Ed+]

While I agree that TDTH may be a little more pleasant to the ears, it comes nowhere even fucking close to being as good as Throwing Copper. This album was a masterpiece and the only nineties album to better it would most likely be TEN from Pearl Jam, and that's saying quite a bit. TC was their best album a trillion times over.

How very well said, Luke.

I rank TC and TDTH to be both perfectly conceptual.

[livebat]

Achtung Baby!!! ups no...

SECRET SAMADHI & THE DISTANCE TO HERE!!!

but I always enjoy to listen every of their albums... Even V!!!

[ShowalittleLove]

TDTH. Never changed since 1999. Best album in the history of rock music.

I second that thought exactly!