Tom Waits’ “Nighthawks at the Diner” is one of the ten records you should own. (Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post)
Favorite records are like a friend’s significant others–even someone you respect and consider a friend could have head-scratching taste . Picking ten we can all agree on is impossible, so the omissions here will be as glaring to some as the inclusions. If we missed your favorite, please forgive us. (And maybe leave it in the comment section so we can steal it.)
In light of that, we aimed for a list of musically unforgettable albums that are further elevated by top-notch production. That said, some genres are under-represented, as the format tends to work better for some styles (jazz, classical, acoustic) more than others. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get that 8-disk electronic drone set you’ve been dying to hear, but don’t be disappointed if it sounds unremarkable and doing sixteen record-flips in one play through detracts from the experience.
In no particular order…
The ten best vinyl records for any collection
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“Blue Train,” John Coltrane
Jazz just works better on vinyl. Like classical, there is no definitive jazz album (although some might disagree with Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”). For its kind, “Blue Train” is hard to beat. In the style of hard bop, Coltrane and his band play an almost harried form of the genre, like they’re late to catch a bus that’s just blocks away from the studio. In that tempo, the level of virtuosity is astonishing, thanks in no small part to a band that would go on to become apart of Art Blakey’s Art Messengers. There are nerdy takeaways here for aficionados–the saxophonist’s signature “Coltrane changes” make their first recorded appearance on the album. But if jazz is less an obsession than a piece of ambiance, it’s just as copacetic as a dinner-party soundtrack.
“Random Access Memories,” Daft Punk
Seeing how consciously embraced analog recording and performance in “Random Access Memories,” it’s no surprise that it shines on vinyl. From the tiniest high-hat quiver to the exceptionally massive bass, the electronic duo’s obsessive attention to detail extends into this modern disco classic’s high-quality mastering. On a turntable, it gives you a depth of listening that you just can’t get out of laptop speakers.
“Blood On The Tracks,” Bob Dylan
“Another Side,” “Blonde on Blonde,” “Self-Portrait”…well, maybe not “Self-Portrait.” But it’s impossible to pick just one album. If pressed, you can make a good argument for “Blood On The Tracks.” Not only is there nary a bad song in the bunch (“Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” is a confusing inclusion against the album’s otherwise soul-wrenching grain), but from groove to groove, side A is flush with some of Dylan’s greatest songwriting achievements. If you can get your hands on the pricier Mobile Fidelity pressing, all the better.
“Nighthawks at the Diner,” Tom Waits
This is a relatively deep cut, but a worthy inclusion to any record collection. is in noir mode on “Nighthawks,” spinning yarns to an in-studio audience between jazz solos and narrative asides. It’s the rare live album that benefits from its crowd, as Waits works the room like a seasoned stand-up. Through the right speakers, it’s as if you’re there with him, dodging cherry stems and caterwauling along to “Better Off Without a Wife.”
“The Band,” The Band
Go figure that it took a Canadian band to make the best Americana rock album of all time. The so-called Brown Album features The Band’s best-known numbers that even your dubstep-obsessive neighbor could join on the choruses of if the spirit moved him. Famously recorded in a West Hollywood pool house, the album sounds remarkably intimate for how jovial it is, like Robertson and co were caught in a drunken sing-along with old friends. It’s one of those albums that makes the most sense as a record. Few things sound as right as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” pulled through a stylus.
“Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7,” Carlos Kleiber
Like jazz, the warm distortion of a vinyl record elevates the classical music listening experience. While it’s cruel to reduce the entire genre to one piece, Kleiber’s take on Beethoven’s 5th and 7th symphonies is a singularly impressive recording. A handful of Beethoven’s crowning achievements feature, many of which you’ll recognize. (Yeah, that “dun dun DUN DUN” one is on here.) Even if you don’t like classical, enough time with this record could change your mind, or at least instill a respect for the intricate musicianship that goes into making this sweeping music. At bare minimum, put it on before your S.O.’s parents come over. Like magic, it can turn the dirtiest den into a drawing room at the drop of a stylus.
“Nebraska,” Bruce Springsteen
“Nebraska” is far from the norm of Springsteen albums. Conceived originally as a demo tape, there are no triumphant horn sections or pantomime-worthy electric guitar riffs in earshot. Instead, we get Springsteen stripped down to his barest essentials, which ends up sounding a lot like an early Bob Dylan transported to a small town in the early 80s. “Highway Patrolman” is so affecting that they made a movie out of it. A bad one, but still. “Nebraska” is among the most intimate albums we’ve ever heard.
“Black Messiah,” D’Angelo
After almost 15 years, D’Angelo followed up “Voodoo” with another all-purpose masterpiece. As thematically complex as it is, thanks to its slick funk, “Black Messiah” can score parties, a night of butt-touching or a star gazing session just as well as an evening in. The vinyl pressing is a wonderful example of how the medium can breath life into the music. On wax, it’s inflected with a subtle warmth and a good showing of dynamic range that’ll seat you squarely between the bass and drums.
“Peoples’ Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm,” A Tribe Called Quest
Because it’s often mastered flat and is drowned in stylus-rocking bass, hip-hop doesn’t always translate well to vinyl. (Kanye West is responsible for some of the best albums that you shouldn’t buy on vinyl.) Like so many A Tribe Called Quest albums, “Peoples’ Instinctive Travels” is almost more funk than rap, though. This debut album by the now-legendary group isn’t packed with the hits of “Midnight Marauders,” but it has some famously rich instrumentals that show you can make powerful beats without an arsenal of sub-shaking laser bass.
“Thriller,” Michael Jackson
It’s self explanatory, but “Thriller” is an essential album for any collection, period. The songs are the reason it’s sold more than any other record in history–aside from “The Lady in my Life,” it’s almost all classics–but it’s also a significant piece of music history to own, a knowable touchstone in dance, R&B and pop history. If nothing else, the picture of Jackson holding a baby tiger on the back cover alone is worth admission.
Bonus: a note on vinyl clubs. As vinyl has made a resurgence, so has the record club. For an annual fee, these services will send you a record of their choosing each month. This can be really fun–like an extra twelve non-denominational holidays each year. But there are some downsides. For one, you must trust the company’s taste explicitly, which as we’ve probably proven with our own list, is a tall order. If you’re only planning on buying essential albums, an unknown record every month will add flab. Second, as with everything vinyl related, it’s pricey. Seeing as they are brand new albums–and in some cases, exclusive pressings–an album a month for a year will even out to $200-$300.
If the idea intrigues you, we recommend Vinyl Me, Please. They have an eclectic taste that knows no genre boundary, but so long as you keep an open mind, you’ll probably end up with a new favorite album you would have never heard otherwise. All of their monthly releases are exclusive in some manner–usually an admittedly gimmicky color variant. But occasionally, these exclusive are truly worth it. Some are long out of pressing, and in the case of Four Tet’s excellent “Pink,” the album’s first official pressing.
