Favorite Recordings

Below is a listing of recordings with special resonance for me. Conceived as nothing more than a bit of fun, this list nonetheless is an attempt at mapping one person's musical tastes and appreciations. To that end, it might prove interesting to some, ridiculous to others. Regardless, here are the recordings I find myself returning to, again and again. [last updated August 1, 2010]

Band/Artist, Recording

• Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Bestial Machinery
  
• Air, Air Time
• Rashied Ali and Frank Lowe, Duo Exchange
  
• Hossein Alizadeh, Hejrani
  
• Turgun Alimatov, Ouzbekistan
  
• AMM, AMMmusic 1966
  
• AMM, Nameless Uncarved Block
• AMM, Newfoundland
  
• Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, The First Day
  
• Anaal Nathrakh, The Codex Necro
  
• Louis Armstrong, Complete Hot 5s and Hot 7s
  
• Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics, Inspiration Information, Vol. 3
  
• Albert Ayler, Spiritual Unity
• Albert Ayler, Witches and Devils
• Albert Ayler, Live in Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings
  
• Bad Brains, Bad Brains
• Bad Brains, I Against I
• Bahauddin Qutbuddin Qawwal & Party, Flight of the Soul: Qawwali Music from Pakistan
• Derek Bailey, Arcana
  
• The Band, Music from Big Pink
• Count Basie, The Complete Decca Recordings
  
• The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
• The Beatles, Abbey Road
• Behemoth, Demigod
  
• Robert Belfour, What's Wrong With You
  
• Big Maceo, Big Maceo, Volume 1: "Flying Boogie" (1941-1945)
  
• Big Star, #1 Record/Radio City
• Bonnie "Prince" Billy, I See a Darkness
  
• Björk, Vespertine
  
• Black Flag, The First Four Years
• Black Flag, Damaged
• Blind Blake, The Best of Blind Blake
  
• Ran Blake, The Short Life of Barbara Monk
  
• Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
  
• Art Blakey, Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk
• Paul Bley, Closer
  
• Paul Bley/Evan Parker/Barre Phillips, Time Will Tell
  
• Bo Diddley, The Definitive Collection
  
• Olivia Block, Change Ringing
  
• Bolt Thrower, Realm of Chaos
  
• Boris, Pink
  
• Pierre Boulez, ...Explosante-Fixe...
  
• David Bowie, Hunky Dory
• David Bowie, Heroes
• David Bowie, Low
  
• Anthony Braxton, For Alto
• Anthony Braxton, Eugene (1989)
  
• David Thomas Broughton, The Complete Guide to Insufficiency
  
• Peter Brotzmann, Machine Gun
• Big Bill Broonzy, The Young Bill Broonzy (1928-1935)
• Clifford Brown, Complete Blue Note and Pacific Jazz Recordings
  
• Earle Brown, Earle Brown
  
• James Brown, Star Time
  
• James Brown, In the Jungle Groove
  
• James Brown, Funk Power 1970: A Brand New Thang
• Burial, Untrue
  
• The Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady
• Can, Tago Mago
• Can, Monster Movie
• Can, Future Days
• Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica
• Carcass, Symphonies of Sickness
• Carcass, Heartwork
  
• Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
• Johnny Cash, American Recordings
• Johnny Cash, The Sun Years
  
• Johnny Cash, At San Quentin
• Johnny Cash, My Mother's Hymn Book
  
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
• Don Cherry, Complete Blue Note Recordings
  
• Don Cherry, Mu (Parts One and Two)
• The Clash, London Calling
• The Claudia Quintet, For
  
• Patsy Cline, 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection
  
• Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury
  
• Leonard Cohen, The Best of Leonard Cohen
  
• Ornette Coleman, Beauty is a Rare Thing (Complete Atlantic Recordings)
  
• Willie Colon/Ruben Blades, Siembra
  
• John Coltrane, My Favorite Things
  
• John Coltrane, Africa/Brass
  
• John Coltrane, Complete 1961 Live at the Village Vanguard
  
• John Coltrane, A Love Supreme
  
• John Coltrane, Ascension
• John Coltrane, Meditations
• John Coltrane, Interstellar Space
• The Congos, Heart of the Congos
• Sam Cooke, Portrait of a Legend: 1951-1964
  
• Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
• Chick Corea, Return to Forever
  
• Elvis Costello, Armed Forces
• Elvis Costello, Imperial Bedroom
  
• Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle
• Marilyn Crispell, Santuerio
• Marilyn Crispell, Nothing ever was, anyway: Music of Annette Peacock
  
• Sonny Criss, Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)
  
• Culture Musical Club, Taarab 1: The Music Of Zanzibar
  
• The Cure, Staring at the Sea: The Singles
• Andrew Cyrille, Metamusicians' Stomp
  
• Daft Punk, Discovery
  
• D'Angelo, Voodoo
• Darkthrone, Transilvanian Hunger
  
• Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
• Miles Davis, Complete Live at the Plugged Nickle
• Miles Davis, Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970) - It's About That Time
  
• Miles Davis, Bitches Brew
  
• Miles Davis, In a Silent Way
• Miles Davis, Live-Evil
• Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
• Death, Human
  
• Claude Debussy, Preludes, I & II (Performed by Walter Gieseking)
• Dillinger Escape Plan, Calculating Infinity
• Dillinger Escape Plan, Ire Works
• Dinosaur Jr., You're Living All Over Me
  
• Dirty Projectors, Rise Above
  
• Discharge, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing
  
• DNA, DNA on DNA
  
• Dr. Dre, The Chronic
  
• Eric Dolphy, At the Five Spot, Vol. 1
  
• Eric Dolphy, Out to Lunch
• Champion Jack Dupree, Blues From the Gutter
  
• Nick Drake, Bryter Layter
• Nick Drake, Pink Moon
• Bob Dylan, Bringing it All Back Home
  
• Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
• Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde
  
• Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
• Bob Dylan and the Band, The Basement Tapes
  
• Bob Dylan, Modern Times
  
• Snooks Eaglin, New Orleans Street Singer
  
• Einstürzende Neubauten, Strategies Against Architecture '80-'83
• Hamza El Din, Escalay (The Water Wheel)
• Electric Wizard, Dopethrone
  
• Duke Ellington, Never no Lament: Complete Blanton-Webster Band
  
• Duke Ellington, The Far East Suite
  
• Missy Elliott, Supa Dupa Fly
  
• Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
  
• Emperor, In the Nightside Eclipse
• Brian Eno, Hear Come the Warm Jets
• Brian Eno, Before and After Science
• Brian Eno, Another Green World
• Eureka Brass Band, New Orleans Funeral & Parade
  
• Bill Evans, Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961
  
• The Faces, A Nod is as Good as a Wink... To a Blind Horse
• Art Farmer, Blame it on My Youth
  
• Faust, Faust IV
  
• The Feelies, Crazy Rhythms
  
• fIREHOSE, Ragin' Full-On
• Four Tet, Rounds
  
• Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
• Fugazi, 13 Songs
  
• The Ganelin Trio, Ancora Da Capo
  
• Gang of Four, Entertainment!
  
• Djivan Gasparyan, I Will Not Be Sad in this World
  
• Marvin Gaye, What's Going On?
• Charles Gayle, Translations
• Charles Gayle, Touchin' on Trane
  
• The Germs, M.I.A.: The Complete Anthology
• Ghostface Killer, Supreme Clientele
  
• Jimmy Giuffre, Free Fall
  
• Godflesh, Streetcleaner
• Godflesh, Pure
  
• Blind Roosevelt Graves, Complete Recorded Works (1929-1936)
• Guided By Voices, Bee Thousand
• Merle Haggard, Hag: The Best of Merle Haggard
  
• Herbie Hancock, Madien Voyage
• Masashi Harada, Enterprising Mass of Cilia
  
• Billy Hart, Enchance
  
• Harvey Milk, Courtesy And Good Will Toward Men
  
• P.J. Harvey, Dry
• Fletcher Henderson, A Study in Frustration
  
• Henry Cow, Unrest
  
• Andrew Hill, Point of Departure
  
• Roscoe Holcomb, The High Lonesome Sound
• Dave Holland, Conference of the Birds
• Bobby Hutcherson, Head On
  
• Hüsker Dü, Zen Arcade
• Immortal, Pure Holocaust
  
• The Jam, All Mod Cons
• Skip James, Complete Early Recordings
  
• Keith Jarrett, The Survivors' Suite
• J Dilla, Donuts
  
• Waylon Jennings, Honky Tonk Heroes
  
• Blind Lemon Jefferson, King of the Country Blues
• Blind Lemon Jefferson, Classic Recordings of the 1920's
  
• Jesu, Jesu
  
• The Jesus & Mary Chain, Psychocandy
• The Jesus Lizard, Liar
  
• Blind Willie Johnson, Sweeter as the Years Go By
  
• Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures
• Joy Division, Closer
• Joy Division, Substance
  
• Salif Keita, Moffou
  
• Junior Kimbrough, Most Things Haven't Worked Out
  
• King Crimson, Red
• King Crimson, Discipline
  
• The Kinks, Face to Face
• The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks
• The Kinks, The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
• Lee Konitz, Motion
  
• Latin Playboys, Latin Playboys
• La Vendetta, Amanece En El Infierno
  
• Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti
• Led Zepplin, Houses of the Holy
  
• John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band
• George Lewis, Homage to Charles Parker
• Dave Liebman/Evan Parker/Tony Bianco, Relevance
  
• György Ligeti, The Ligeti Project
  
• Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
  
• Lurker of Chalice, Lurker of Chalice
  
• Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose
  
• Lynyrd Skynyrd, (Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
  
• Madvillain, Madvillainy
• Bob Marley, Songs of Freedom
• Mastodon, Crack the Skye
  
• Curtis Mayfield, Superfly
• Blind Willie McTell, Pig 'n Whistle Red
• Meat Puppets, Meat Puppets II
  
• Melvins, Ozma/Gluey Porch Treatments
  
• Metallica, Master of Puppets
  
• Metallica . . . And Justice for All
• Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman, Song X
  
• M.I.A., Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1
  
• M.I.A., Kala
  
• Charles Mingus, Ah Um
• Charles Mingus, Mingus at Antibes
  
• Charles Mingus, Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
• Minor Threat, Complete Discography
• Minutemen, Double Nickels on the Dime
• Minutemen, Post-Mersh Vol. 1, Vol. 2, and Vol. 3
  
• Misfits, Collection
• Mission of Burma, Signals, Calls, and Marches
• Mission of Burma, The Obliterati
  
• Roscoe Mitchell, Sound
  
• Roscoe Mitchell, Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2, 3
  
• Moby, Everything is Wrong
• Moby, Play
  
• Modern Jazz Quartet, Dedicated to Connie
  
• The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers
• Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners
• Thelonious Monk, Complete Blue Note Recordings
• Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane, At Carnegie Hall
  
• Van Morrison, Astral Weeks
• Jelly Roll Morton, Jelly Roll Morton, Vols. 1-5
  
• Paul Motian, Monk in Motian
  
• Paul Motian, Trioism
• Muddy Waters, The Complete Plantation Recordings
  
• Mudhoney, Superfuzz Bigmuff
  
• Mujician, There's No Going Back Now
• Mujician, Colours Fulfilled
  
• Sunny Murray, Sonny's Time Now
  
• My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
  
• My Morning Jacket, It Still Moves
  
• Nachtmystium, Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1
  
• Napalm Death, Scum
• Napalm Death, From Enslavement to Obliteration
• Napalm Death, Fear, Emptiness, Despair
  
• Nas, Illmatic
  
• Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger
• Neu!, Neu!
  
• Neurosis, Times of Grace
• New Order, Substance
  
• Joanna Newsome, Ys
• The New York Art Quartet, Old Stuff
  
• Nile, In Their Darkened Shrines
  
• Nomeansno, Wrong
  
• Luigi Nono, Il Canto Sospeso
  
• Kevin Norton/Joelle Leandre/Tomas Ulrich, Ocean of Earth
  
• N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton
• Sinéad O'Connor, The Lion and the Cobra
• Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
  
• Operation Ivy, Energy
  
• Opeth, Blackwater Park
  
• Outkast, Stankonia
• Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  
• Tony Oxley Quintet, The Baptised Traveler
  
• Agustus Pablo, King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
  
• Pan Sonic, Kesto (234.48:4)
  
• Evan Parker/Alexander von Schlippenbach/Paul Lytton, America 2003
  
• William Parker, Compassion Seizes Bed-Stuy
  
• Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel
  
• Charley Patton, The Complete Recorded Works
  
• Pavement, Slanted and Enchanted
• Art Pepper, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
• Pere Ubu, Terminal Tower
• Pere Ubu, The Modern Dance
• Lee "Scratch" Perry, Arkology
  
• Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville
  
• Astor Piazzolla, Tango: Zero Hour
  
• Pig Destroyer, Prowler in the Yard
• Pig Destroyer, Terrifyer
  
• Richard Pinhas/Merzbow, Keio Line!
  
• Pink Floyd, Piper at the Gates of Dawn
• Pink Floyd, Relics
• Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
  
• Popol Vuh, Aguirre
  
• Bud Powell, The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1
  
• Prince, Purple Rain
• Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
  
• Public Enemy, Fear of a Black Planet
• Don Pullen, New Beginnings
• Radian, Juxtaposition
  
• Eliane Radigue, Eliane Radigue
• Radio Birdman, The Essential Radio Birdman (1974-1978)
• Raein, Il N'y A Pass De Orchestre
• The Raincoats, The Raincoats
  
• The Ramones, Ramones
  
• Otis Redding, Otis Blue
  
• Lou Reed, New York
  
• R.E.M., Document
• R.E.M., Automatic For The People
• Marc Ribot, Shrek
  
• Sam Rivers/Adam Rudolph/Harris Eisenstadt, Vista
  
• Max Roach, We Insist! Freedom Now Suite
  
• Max Roach, Percussion Bitter Sweet
• Jimmie Rodgers, Essential Jimmie Rodgers
  
• John Stevens, Chemistry
  
• Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet
  
• Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed
  
• Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers
• Rolling Stones, Exile in Mainstreet
• Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus
• Sonny Rollins, A Night at the Village Vanguard
  
• Roni Size/Reprazent, New Forms
• The Roots, Game Theory
  
• Rova::Orkestrova, Electric Ascension: An Interpretation of John Coltrane's Ascension
• Rudimentary Peni, Cacophony
• Run-DMC, Raising Hell
• George Russell, Ezz-thetics
  
• The Saints, (I'm) Stranded
  
• Kazue Sawai/Michel Doneda/Kazuo Imai/Le Quan Ninh/Tetsu Saitoh, Une Chance Pour L'ombre
  
• Janek Schaefer, Le Petit Theatre De Mercelis
  
• Alexander von Schlippenbach, The Living Music
• Alexander von Schlippenbach, Monk's Casino
  
• Sebadoh, III
  
• Sepultura, Roots
• Sex Pistol, Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols
  
• Sonny Sharrock, Ask the Ages
• Siege, Drop Dead
  
• Sigur Rós, Ágætis Byrjun
  
• Slayer, Reign in Blood
• Slayer, Season in the Abyss
  
• Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
  
• The Slits, Cut
• The Smiths, The Queen is Dead
• Wadada Leo Smith, Tabligh
• Wadada Leo Smith, Spiritual Dimensions
  
• Social Distortion, Mommy's Little Monster
  
• Son House, The Original Delta Blues
  
• Sonic Youth, Sister
  
• Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
• Spontaneous Music Ensemble, New Distance
• The Specials, The Specials
  
• Phil Spector, Back to Mono (1958-1969)
  
• Dusty Springfield, Dusty In Memphis
  
• Spring Heel Jack, Amassed
  
• Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
• Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska
  
• Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A.
  
• Tomasz Stanko, Leosia
• Stars of the Lid, The Tired Sounds of the Stars of the Lid
  
• Rod Stewart, Every Picture Tells a Story
• Stiff Little Fingers, Inflammable Material
  
• Karlheinz Stockhausen, Kontakte für elektronische, Klänge und Schlagzeug
• Karlheinz Stockhausen, Aus den sieben Tagen
  
• The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses
• The Stooges, Raw Power
• The Stooges, Funhouse
• Subhumans, The Day the Country Died
  
• Sunn O))), Black One
  
• Sun Ra, Jazz in Silhouette
  
• Sun Ra, Heliocentric Worlds Vol. I
• Sun Ra, The Magic City
• Swans, Cop
  
• Swans, Children of God/World of Skin
  
• Craig Taborn, Junk Magic
• Talk Talk, Laughing Stock
  
• Talking Heads, Remain in Light
• Talking Heads, Fear of Music
• Art Tatum, The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces
• Art Tatum, The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces, Vol. 8
  
• Cecil Taylor, Nefertiti, The Beautiful One Has Come
• Cecil Taylor, In Floresence
• Cecil Taylor, Dark to Themselves
  
• Cecil Taylor, Leaf Palm Hand
  
• Cecil Taylor, Remembrance
  
• Cecil Taylor, Celebrated Blazons (The Feel Trio)
  
• Television, Marquee Moon
• Richard and Linda Thompson, Pour Down Like Silver
  
• Richard and Linda Thompson, Shoot out the Lights
• Justin Timberlake, FutureSex / LoveSounds
  
• TLC, Crazysexycool
  
• Veljo Tormis, Litany to Thunder
  
• T-Rex, Electric Warrior
• Tricky, Maxinquaye
• TV On The Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain
• James "Blood" Ulmer, Tales of Captain Black
• James "Blood" Ulmer, Are You Glad to Be in America?
  
• James "Blood" Ulmer, Odyssey
• U2, War
• Unwound, Fake Train
• Urinals, Negative Capability... Check it Out
  
• Various Artists, Anthology of Indian Classical Music: A Tribute to Alain Daniélou
• Various Artists, Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974
  
• Various Artists, Bali: Music From the Morning of the World
  
• Various Artists, Benin: Bariba And Somba Music
  
• Various Artists: Big Brazos--Deep River of Song
  
• Various Artists, Bulgarie: Pirin (Anthologie De La Musique Bulgare Vol. 4)
  
• Various Artists, Chess Blues
  
• Various Artists, Country Southern Blues
  
• Various Artists, El Mero Merengue - Lo Mejor del Perico Ripiao
• Various Artists, Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
  
• Various Artists, Hsaing Waing of Mayanmar
  
• Various Artists, Improvised Music From Japan
  
• Various Artists, Jazzactuel
  
• Various Artists, Music of the Baganda People
  
• Various Artists, New York Noise: Dance Music From The New York Underground 1978-1982
  
• Various Artists, Sumatra: Batak Music
• Various Artists, The Soul of Mbira: Traditions of the Shona People
  
• Various Artists, Songs of the South
  
• Various Artists, Soul Hits of the '70s: Didn’t it Blow Your Mind, Vol. 2
• The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground and Nico
• The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground
• Edward Vesala, Lumi
• Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes
• Voidvod, Nothingface
  
• Tom Waits, Rain Dogs
• Sippie Wallace, Women Be Wise
  
• Anton Webern, Complete Works, Opp. 1-31 (Conducted by Boulez)
  
• Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson
  
• Gillian Welch, Time (The Revelator)
  
• Kanye West, The College Dropout
  
• The White Stripes, White Blood Cells
  
• Sonny Boy Williamson, Bluebird Blues -- When the Sun Goes Down Series
  
• Tony Williams, Emergency!
• Tony Williams, (Turn it Over)
  
• Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
• Wire, Pink Flag
• Wire, Chairs Missing
• Jimmy Witherspoon, The 'Spoon Concerts
  
• Wolves in the Throne Room, Two Hunters
  
• Stevie Wonder, Innervisions
• Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, In the Jungle, Babe
  
• Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
• Iannis Xenakis, Electronic Music
  
• Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
  
• Larry Young, Unity
  
• Neil Young, Tonight's The Night
• Neil Young, Decade
• Neil Young, On the Beach
  
• John Zorn, The Big Gundown