The Most Meticulously Crafted Albums Ever
Jan 10, 2008 at 1:19 PM Post #47 of 80
Well, I have a slightly different take on this.

The most meticulously crafted album I have is a recording of Handel's Messiah. You would think, this many years later, the art of story telling through beautiful music would have reached dizzying heights, far eclipsing this effort.

But alas, no. I can't really think of any modern compositions I own or ever have owned that come anywhere close. On the whole I find music today dumbed down and uncohesive, and I've owned plenty of rock, pop, metal, blues, folk etc.
 
Jan 10, 2008 at 8:00 PM Post #48 of 80
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
You know, both Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation and Lauren Hill's "Miseducation" have great "tie-ins" between tunes that really make you want to enjoy the albums as a whole.


2X on both. Fine, fine records. Something tells me that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill will end up seeming a bit less wedded to its time, though.
 
Jan 11, 2008 at 7:58 AM Post #50 of 80
4x on Ms. Hill

i must say that the most finely crafted cohesive and meticulously composed album I've ever heard has to be

"Ys" Joanna Newsom

I couldn't praise this album enough for its craftsmanship
 
Jan 11, 2008 at 11:10 PM Post #51 of 80
I would consider anything by Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Mike Oldfield all to fit the meticulous style of album making. I would make special mention for Beach Boys - Pet Sounds to name a single album.

As for circular breathing I tried this many times when playing the Clarinet while younger and never really mastered it
mad.gif
. Witnessed it first hand at a Courtney Pine gig, amazing skill!
 
Jan 11, 2008 at 11:20 PM Post #52 of 80
In the pop/rock scene I think Prefab Sprout´s Jordan; The Comeback is a very cohesive and exciting work. If you want something more subtle I would recommend any of Steve Roach´s soundsculptures.
 
Jan 13, 2008 at 6:37 AM Post #54 of 80
I think one of the most meticuously crafted albums is Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. The sound of the album is incredible, very inventive, and still being copied today. Another album I appreciate is Frank Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours. I enjoy the chairman croning about heartache. Currently, I would think Sigur Ros () album is another well crafted album.
 
Jan 17, 2008 at 9:40 PM Post #55 of 80
Since we're accepting old-school, I think you have to make a case for Joni Mitchell's "Blue" and Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks."

The generation after that will bring you most of Elvis Costello and Tom Wait's albums, and their fairly recent work (within the last ten years), "North" and "Painted from Memory" by EC and "Mule Variations" and "Alice" by TW are amazing examples of current album-craft.

In the under-50-years-old category, I'll echo Radiohead and Sigur Ros. Wu Tang's 36 Chambers is pretty stunning.

Ummm. Lou Reed's "New York"? Nick Cave's "Boatman's Call?"
 
Jan 18, 2008 at 2:40 AM Post #56 of 80
Quote:

Originally Posted by monolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm pretty sure the most meticulously crafted album title would have to go to Tool's Lateralus.


I love the music but it's so horribly compressed that I'm not sure I could call it highly crafted...
 
Jan 18, 2008 at 2:42 AM Post #57 of 80
U2 -- The Joshua Tree
Jeff Beck -- Blow by Blow
Cream -- Disraeli Gears
Bob Dylan -- Bringing it all Back Home, Blonde on Blonde

and

I'm not sure I could call it meticulously crafted because it is mostly improv but:

Van Morrison: Astral Weeks

it's just fabulous from end to end.
 
Jan 18, 2008 at 3:59 AM Post #60 of 80
How about Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms or Paul Simon - Graceland
 
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