What is the VERY BEST CD album you've ever heard?

I listen to a lot of progressive and avant-garde music, so a huge part of my collection is by bands, musicians, composers that are not popular.

Of course I listen to most of the better known prog bands: Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson, Steve Wilson, Riverside, etc. But the great thing about prog and its associated subgenres, is that popularity is almost completely unrelated to quality.

None of these is 'the best', since, for me, they are all so good, it is hard to rate one over another.

This is a very short prog only list, I could make similar lists for jazz, and modern and contemporary classical, too.

Eskaton - 4 Visions (1981) / French progressive band, with this brilliant album of beauty, intensity, emotion, and incredible musicianship.

Thinking Plague - In Extremis (1998) / US band with one of the best examples of avant-prog. Atonal, dissonant, creative. Amazing musicianship. 

Arti e Mestieri - Tilt (1974) / Italian band that straddles the line between jazz-rock fusion and prog. There are more great melodies on this one album, than many bands compose in a lifetime. And the drummer, Furio Chirrico, is an absolute beast, who belongs in the same class as Billy Cobham or Lenny White.

The Contortionist - Language (2014) / US technical-metal band, loaded with emotion, and chops from hell. Very complex.

Echolyn - As The World (1995) / US prog band, with great, complex multi-part vocals (in the Gentle Giant vein). Great melodies, playing, complexity all over this recording. And it rocks!

Discus - Tot Licht (2003) / Indonesian band that bends Mahavishnu Orchestra style fusion, Indonesian Gamelan percussion, prog, and contemporary classical, and somehow make it work. Very unique. The leader, guitarist Iwan Hasan, has major chops.

I could go on for pages...

 

 

 

I am nominating the following titles simply because they have been released only on CD. There are others, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind:

 

- The Houston Kid by Rodney Crowell. A perfect album. Johnny Cash makes a guest appearance on one song: "I Walk The Line (Revisited)".

 

- The self-titled album by The Notorious Cherry Bombs, a supergroup comprised of Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, and Tony Brown. Great songwriting, singing, and playing.

 

- When The Clock Strikes 12 by Slo Leak, a collaboration between Danny Kortchmar (his name should sound familiar) and Charlie Karp. An album of VERY unusual, highly original music.

 

- Greetings From Planet Love by The Fraternal Order Of The All. A parody of psychedelic music by Andrew Gold and Graham Gouldman. Brilliant!

 

- Well Of Mercy by Michael Kelsh. Kelsh is an excellent singer/songwriter, this album featuring production by Bill Halverson (and executive production by Rodney Crowell) and musical accompaniment by Rusty Young, Joy Lynn White, and John Cowan.

Rodney’s liner notes read "Townes Van Zandt and Jackson Browne come to mind when I think about Michael’s particular brand of romantic truism." The album’s credits include these details: "We recorded these songs at Rodney’s house. Halverson used his favorite 1940’s Neuman." (his mis-spelling, not mine ;-). That Neumann is of course the legendary tube microphone, each surviving example worth a small fortune.

 

- Bowl Of Surreal by Chewy Marble, an L.A. Power Pop Group. Members included: Brian Kassan---original bassist in The Wondermints, Brian Wilson’s road band; Derrick Anderson, The Bangles road bassist (a fantastic musician!); and yours truly on drums (only half the album. The album’s recording was delayed, and prior commitments called me away before it’s completion).

 

- Moontan by Evan Johns and The Hillbilly Soul Surfers. A 13 song romp through American Roots music, including Hillbilly, Blues, Surf, and Rock ’n’ Roll. Evan played his Telecaster plugged straight into a blackface Fender Super Reverb cranked to 10. Evan preferred the Deluxe Reverb, but his was stuck in Austin, so he used the studio’s Super. When the recording engineer opened the amp’s isolation booth with Evan playing, it sounded like a jet taking off!

 

- Toad Of Titicaca by Gurf Morlix. Gurf was for years Lucinda Williams’ guitarist, harmony singer, and band leader. He has made a number of good solo albums, including this one.

 

- Bakersfield Bound by Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen. Chris and Herb have long collaborated, including their time together in The Desert Rose Band. This album is at least as good as any of that excellent band.

 

- Wires & Wood by Johnny Staats. An incredible Bluegrass album, singer and mandolin player Staats receiving musical accompaniment by a who’s-who of Bluegrass masters: Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, John Cowan, Tammy Rogers, and Jerry Douglas (you know him from Alison Krauss’ band Union Station.). Another perfect album!

 

- Last but not least, Down To The Well by Kevin Gordon. I learned of Kevin in an interview with Lucinda Williams, and boy am I glad I did. Kevin is a fantastic songwriter and singer, and this album is absolutely fantastic! If you like John Hiatt (who doesn’t? ;-), you will also like Down To The Well.

 

 

My favorite CD is Glenn Frey "Solo Collection"

I'll get slammed for this one but the very best I have ever heard through my system is Patricia Barber, "Cafe Blue" but on super audio CD. I have it on a regular CD but the SACD brings out so much more I never could hear on the CD.

I third the suggestion of Supertramp's Crime of the Century.  I bought this LP in 1974 because I liked the album cover and have been playing it regularly since.  Nothing like it before or after.

Paul Simon's 1991 "Concert In The Park".  One of the best live recordings I have heard.  Highly recommended.  Jerry Harrison: Casual God's.  Fantastic.  Anything by Jennifer Warnes.