album that sounds the best?
 

now for this thread, i want the album in your opinion that has the best production, and or sounds the best.

My pick is Physical Graphiti" from Led zeppelin. everything about that album, has a really hard and heavy raw sound, but of all of the "good zeppelin" albums, this sounds the cleanest. best sounding out of all of the songs on that album is "in my time of dying" was that done in one take? there seem to be no overdubs with the guitar like most of their songs, and there seems to be a mistake at the very end of the song. (right as the song ends, you can hear somebody cough in the background, and then Page does a very short improv guitar solo.

"Spilt Milk" by Jellyfish. A nearly obscene amount of ear candy, and it's mastered extremely well, offering the sort of dynamic range you don't really get on today's overly-compressed albums anymore.

If you're into that sort of thing, Disintegration by The Cure still sounds good after a dozen years. Very, very lush production. More recently, albums by Coldplay and Starsailor sound impeccable, although a lot of people are put off by the actual music. ;)

I've never cared much for the production on Led Zeppelin albums, their final album excepted. Never cared much for the music, either.

My pick would have to be Smashing Pumpkins "Siamese Dream". The album revels in its production values but does not come off as self-indulgent. Songs range from rocking anthems (Quiet, Cherub Rock), melodic lullabies (Sweet, Sweet, Luna) to tunes that are sprawling and epic in proportion (Silver ****, Soma, Hummer). One of my favorite albums of all time.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
or
Who's Next

Beck - Sea Change

Wilco - YHF

I agree within regards to YHF. Possibly the best album of the new millenium thus far.

The answer is Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love

Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin

i almost chose that over Yoshimi, but i've found that certain songs have parts that are too loud, therefore sounding scratchy. making it slightly less than the "best" imho.

Jellyfish is a good suggestion. My favorites include Toy Matinee's and Collective Soul's self-titled albums. I am a full-time sound engineer, and these are the two albums I use to tweak out a system. I'll also use Steely Dan's 'Aja', Sheryl Crow's 'Globe Sessions' and Brian Setzer Orchestra's "Dirty Boogie'.

Pixies "Surfer Rosa". The incredibly loud drums, stripped down production, raw heavy sound.....crank it up and it sounds like there's a band right there playing in your room.

Doves "The Last Broadcast" sounds amazing, imo.

yah, that's another good one. even the (1 or 2) songs that i don't like are very cerebral. ear candy.

ok i'll stop merely agreeing with others now.

Steely Dan - Aja

I sound like a broken record here, but I'm always surprised at how well Remain in Light has held up.

As Sorpio says Aja. I bring that CD with me whenever I go to audition speakers or sound equipment. Also Donald Fagan's "The Nightfly" has exceptional production.

For me though the best produced album is Dark Side of the Moon...not just for the clarity and mastering of the audio but also for the mood and atmosphere it creates.

:up:
I would also add XTC's Skylarking

Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People

Metallica - self titled

I've always felt that the best production on any album was on The Jam's 1979 masterpiece Setting Sons. The guitars are so clear but have such a bite, the bass and drums are pronounced but not overpowering, and Paul Weller's vocals intertwine perfectly with the music.

While I'm on about Remain in Light, I might as well mention Brian Eno & David Byrne's collaboration, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. I was listening to it through headphones while walking my dog and realized just how much nuance it has.

i don't know why i forgot to mention Rumours, by Fleetwood Mac. the production on that album is impeccable.

Motley Crue- Dr Feelgood....best rock album production wise ever...IMO....

So good that even though Metallica hates Motley Crue they hired Bob Rock to produce the "black" album and said "We want this album to sound as heavy as dr. feelgood"..

I always liked the way their first album "Bellybutton" sounds. I love the way the album sounds. It's all "real instruments".

My other picks would be

Band On The Run- Paul McCarntey and Wings
Heaven Tonight- Cheap Trick
Girlfriend- Matthew Sweet
Especially for You- The Smithereens
Wish You Were Here- Badfinger
Starting Over- The Raspberries ......pound for pound one the best rock songs of the 70's is the lead track "Overnight Sensation(Hit Record)". There's a great effect near the end of the song where the track is played through a transistor radio to make it sound like you're listening through a tiny pocket radio.