My Perfect Albums
Some albums are perfect. While the word ‘perfect’ has different meanings between people, in my eyes, a perfect album is an album where I like every single track and rarely have to skip over one. I find myself enjoying every song and will happily listen to said album from beginning to end. That being said, there aren’t many albums I’d consider perfect. Here are the ones I think definitely are though.
OK Computer
OK Computer by Radiohead only just scrapes into this list. Mostly because of the track Fitter Happier. But personally, I quite like the track. It fits perfectly with the rest of the album, and is quick and to the point, meaning the robotic voice has little time to get on your nerves. Every other track though is a treat to listen to, from the somewhat harder hitting Airbag and Electioneering, to the much more subtle Climbing Up The Walls.
My favourite track on the album though has to be Let Down. It’s the perfect combination of deep depression and inspiring hope, and the combination of vocals backing tracks make me shudder.
There was a remaster of OK Computer in 2017, called OK Computer OKNOTOK, but I honestly didn’t notice much difference. The additional track Lull though is very good.
Them Crooked Vultures
This album is amazing. Them Crooked Vultures, by, uh, Them Crooked Vultures, is an astounding album. It’s a dream team mash up between Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Led Zepplin’s John Paul Jones. With artists like that, no wonder this album is so good. Each track hits hard, and it’s definitely not kid-friendly.
Picking out a favourite track is hard on this album. Scumbag Blues was my initial favourite, but these days, I prefer Dead End Friends. I kinda always imagined a weird Team Fortress 2 crossover (named Them Wonky Snipers or Kings of the Gravel Pits) featuring Sniper driving through the desert, picking up team mates along the way. I’ve always wanted to animate this in SFM, but using that program is beyond me. Gunman is also a great track, which, again, would work great as a SFM video featuring Sniper being a gunman.
There have been rumours of a new Them Crooked Vultures in the works, but that’s been the rumour for years. I doubt we’ll be seeing more of them any time soon.
Woodface
One of Crowded House’s later albums, but still kinda early on in their discography, Woodface was THE album I listened to as a child. I basically grew up to it until I started branching out and buying my own music. When I was little and my sister was very little, I was allowed to go to the parents’ room and listen to Woodface, while my sister went to sleep in our shared bedroom. I did have other CDs but Woodface was the one I liked the most, and I happily learned most of the songs’ lyrics.
These days, I do still listen to a lot of Crowded House, although not so much their newer stuff. It’s also tricky to pick out a favourite from this album. Weather with You is a classic song, as is It’s Only Natural, but ever since my mum passed, She Goes On has become my favourite track, as it perfectly encapsulates the hole she left in our lives.
Hail to the Thief
The second entry on this list by Radiohead, Hail to the Thief is very different from OK Computer. It’s a bit calmer, a bit less angry, a bit less suicidal, although probably more anti-war and anti-government compared to the anti-capitalist-society vibes from OK Computer.
The whole album is genuinely great, but a standout song, both from the album and from Radiohead in general, is Myxomatosis, which has probably one of the best riffs in Radiohead’s discography. Go To Sleep is also an awesome track, as is 2+2=5, which was even more amazing when played live. I Will is probably the weakest track, but it has had a couple of nice variants, particularly the version on COM LAG.
Hybrid Theory
The very first CD I ever bought was Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park. It’s an amazing album and still probably the best album by Linkin Park, although Meteora does give it a run for its money. I love every track on Hybrid Theory, and, considering it was the first album I ever bought, I think it was 100% worth it. Compared to my second and third albums, Sum 41’s All Killer No Filler and Evanescence’s Fallen, Hybrid Theory is way better.
My favourite track HAS to be In The End, but Forgotten is also a really good track.
There are a few other nearly perfect albums, but this lot, I can happily listen to them all day.