Perhaps I’m entirely too critical, but I’ve recently realized that there are precious few albums on which I can say I love every song. Even most of my favorite albums seem to contain one or two songs that I could do without.
However, I’ll go out on a limb and proclaim that Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson’s Rattlin’ Bones and Old Crow Medicine Show’s self-titled project are two albums that I can listen to without skipping even one song.
How about you? What albums can you honestly say have no throwaway tracks?
Does it have to stay within country? If not, I’ll have to say Duffy’s Rockferry is a definite keeper. Jazmine Sullivan’s Fearless is another great example.
For country, Sugarland’s past two albums (Love On The Inside and Enjoy The Ride) as well as Lee Ann Womack’s two latest albums (There’s More Where That Came From and Call Me Crazy). All the Patty Loveless albums I have too as well as all the Trisha Yearwood albums I have.
some albums that I can think of:
“Twice The Speed of Life” & “Love On The Inside” by Sugarland
“American Idiot” by Green Day
“Up!” by Shania Twain (all three versions)
“What If It’s You” by Reba McEntire
“Taking The Long Way” & “Home” by Dixie Chicks
“Cry,” “Fireflies,” & “It Matters To Me” by Faith Hill
“What The World Needs Now Is Love” by Wynonna
“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
and some others…
“First Rodeo” by honeyhoney
“The Life of a Song” by Joey+Rory
Gabe Dixon Band’s Self-Titled album
Bruce Robisn “His Greatest”
SheDaisy – Fortuneteller’s Melody
Every Song brings something great to the overall project and I just love this group’s harmonies, country or not.
Non-country, I really do like Metallica’s Death Magnetic, but that might not be for this demographic.
All of Trisha Yearwood’s albums and the 1st two from Sugarland
Dierks Bentley – Dierks Bentley ( Great Debut ); also his indepedent release before that was great, hardcore, authentic country as well. I hope he gets Capitol to re-release it at some point.
Wynonna – What The World Needs Now Is Love
Deana Carter – Did I Shave My Legs for This?
LeAnn Womack – Call Me Crazy
Miranda Lambert – Crazy Ex-girlfriend
Trisha Yearwood – Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love
=D
Chely Wright’s Debut– “Woman in the Moon”
Martina McBride’s “Waking Up Laughing” and “Emotion”.
Reba’s “Have I Got A Deal Foir You” and “Feel The Fire”.
Trisha Yearwood’s “The Song Remembers When”.
Patty Loveless’ “Dreamin’ My Dreams”.
LeAnn Rimes’ “Family and “This Woman”.
Dolly Parton’s “New Harvest…First Gathering” and “The Fairest Of Them All”..
Lee Ann Womack’s “There’s More Where That Came From”.
Etc.
Some of my very favorite albums have some not-so-flawless tracks, and therefore they may not be mentioned above.
“Hotel California”
Shelly Fairchild – Ride
For some reason, the one that’s coming to mind right now is the debut from The Steeldrivers. It doesn’t totally cohere as an album, but I don’t think there’s a weak track in the bunch.
That said, I’m a big fan of listening to most albums straight through. Sure, I like some songs more than others, but it takes something pretty atrocious to make me hit the Skip button. I generally like to get the whole experience, faults and all.
“Dreaming my Dreams” – Waylon Jennings
“Merle Haggard” – Back to the Barrooms (also an awesome album cover)
“Life of the Party” – Charlie Robison
I second Miranda’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend album. That’s about as solid an album as you get.
I’ve been listening back through Nickel Creek’s last album, Why Should the Fire Die?, a lot lately. It’s a risky album, but all of the tracks work well on some level. I don’t know if I’ve heard a lot of albums where I didn’t think there were at least one or two weak tracks.
Although it’s definitely not Country, I think “Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morrissette has to be one of the most stunning, high-quality “albums” ever made.
Ratlin’ Bones is certainly one for me, good to see they picked up 5 Golden Guitars for this at last Saturday’s Australian CMAs.
Also Home by the Dixie Chicks.
Another is the album that really first got me into country music (and that’s a question maybe for another day).
Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris. A wonderful collection of just 9 tracks that take you on an emotional journey.
A new album that has all top notch songs for me is Swim by The Whispertown 2000.
Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Stones in the Road…one of my top 5 CDs of all time.
Any albums by the Dixie Chicks since 1997 are definate keepers and anything Trisha Yearwood :D
Other country mentions:
I Hope You Dance and There’s More Where That Came From by Lee Ann Womack – while the latter is her most favored, her 2000 I Hope You Dance album is just as good.
The Woman In Me and Come On Over- Shania Twain
Taylor Swift and Fearless by Taylor Swift, after giving the first one a few more listens it really shined.
Non-country:
Alanis Morrissette – Jagged Little Pill and Flavors Of Entaglement
Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway and My December
Fall Out Boy – From Under The Cork Tree(This album rocked 2005, too bad FOB couldn’t give us some better material in the years that followed.)
That’s all from me for now.
Sara Evans’ 2005 album “Real Fine Place” I love all the way through
Here’s an idea for another thread some day: Perfect albums ruined by one awful track.
Hard Times, believe it or not, that’s on my running list of discussion topics.
Gary Allan-Tough All Over Great album start to finish.
II’ll 3rd Miranda, it’s great. Not a weak song in the bunch
I posted my list at The 9513 but here it is again:
1. Storms of Life by Randy Travis
2. Killin’ Time by Clint Black
3. The Grass Is Blue by Dolly Parton
4. Trio by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, & Emmylou Harris
5. Don’t Close Your Eyes by Keith Whitley
6. Diamonds & Dirt by Rodney Crowell
7. What Do I Do With Me by Tanya Tucker
8. Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love by Trisha Yearwood
9. The Key by Vince Gill
10. Pancho & Lefty by Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
11. Livin’ It Up by George Strait
12. Roses In The Snow by Emmylou Harris
13. My Kind Of Country by Reba McEntire
14. Sleepless Nights by Patty Loveless
15. Dwight Sings Buck by Dwight Yoakam
I’m sure there are more but my brain isn’t recalling them at the moment …
Trisha Yearwood – Inside Out, Real Live Woman
Reba – Rumor Has It, If You See Him, What If It;s You …
Sugarland – Love On The Inside
Conway Twitty – Southern Comfort
George Strait – Ocean Front Property, The Road Less Traveled
Dixie Chicks – Fly
… oh and Ronnie Milsap – Stranger Things Have Happened
Sara Evans — Three Chords And The Truth
Razor,
I heartily second Emmylou Harris’ Roses In the Snow.
Leann, what makes Roses In The Snow even more amazing is the time in which it was released — 1980 right at the height of the Urban Cowboy movement. It was a really bold statement for a commercially successful artist to make in those days. It’s amazing that her label allowed her to do it.
Razor X, Agreed!
Pretty much everything Linda Ronstadt did between 1973 and 1982, as well as her old band the Eagles during their heyday, and the Dixie Chicks’ TAKING THE LONG WAY.
I’m much more of an album person, anyway. I always look for the hidden nuggets in such albums, and not just the “hits.” Not every song needs to be “radio friendly” to be great, or even merely good (IMHO).
Nicholas, I really love Sara Evans’ Real Fine Place too, although there are about three tracks I could do without. (names available upon request…)
Razor X…I totally agree about Sara’s Three Chord’s and the Truth…love every cut..but I would also add Evans’ No Place That Far CD…I think this album gets an unfair rap from the critics as being too “pop” . With the exception of the title cut, and “Cryin’ Game” every other song is real Country, IMO .But I love Cryin’ Game and No Place That Far as well.
And I agree that Miranda’s Crazy Ex album is outstanding, very very solid.
I remember Blake saying about Patty Loveless’ Sleepless Nights that there’s not a bad cut on the album,. I totally agree.. I have been listening to it over and over again…(surprised?!)
But I think that statement pretty much applies to all of Patty’s albums.
I think I read it in the All Music Guide, one of their critics stated that Patty Loveless and husband Emory Gordy Jr. are well known for providing thoroughly solid albums, with no filler. After purchasing and enjoying every one of them, I have found this to be true…I look at it this way;…if there were a comprehensive “Best Of” (as opposed to greatest commercial hits) Patty Loveless album, it would be Nineteen volumes strong, one for each of her studio albums…In other words, pretty much EVERY Patty Loveless song is strong enough to be a single in it’s own right.
This is not to say that I don’t have my favorites, because I do, and I skip around to them quite often.
But every Patty Loveless song is a labor of love, and I can without reservation recommend each and every one of them!
Hard Times and Leeann, the converse could also be a great topic…”bad albums REDEEMED by one great song!” Whaddya think?!;)
And based on several recommendations here, I think I need to check out Roses In the Snow!
Also, does anyone know what stores carry The Steeldriver’s album? I can’t seem to find it anywhere, and am afraid I will need to resort to my customary last resort, an online purchase…
Dolly’s Little Sparrow
Sara’s No Place That Far and Born to Fly
Patty’s Mountain Soul
@ Steve: But every Patty Loveless song is a labor of love, and I can without reservation recommend each and every one of them!
I agree, with the sole exception of “Strong Heart” her albums are all great.
Yeah, Razor, “Strong Heart” Is certainly the “change up” throw in her pitching array…I guess a lot of folks and some critics didn’t like it. I see it as kinda Patty’s “Country pop” album the way Sara’s Restless is her most pop album. (I think Restless is the better of the two, though) Not my favorite style or my favorite album from Patty, but I still love it, and recommend it.
Also I think Strong Heart contains some of Patty’s finest and most moving vocal performances ever…as in “Thirsty” and “My Heart Will Never Break this Way Again”, and Patty and Trisha Yearwood sound amazing together on the latter.
I love the Bluesy “Key of Love” and “You Don’t Get No More” So there’s kind of a mix of styles on this album I guess.
And “That’s the Kind of Mood I’m In” is just plain fun!
Who’s Garden Was This- John Denver
Down the Old Plank Road- the Chieftans
Where Your Road Lead and Hearts in Arnour- Trisha Yearwood
Fresh Horses and Scracrow- Garth Brooks
I know most people find Fresh Horses to be Garth’s weakest, but I really enjoy every cut; its a very well sequenced CD, and being from Cobh, County Cork, I really enjoy ‘Ireland’
Here’s some recent releases I can play over and over.
Jamey Johnson – that Lonesome Song
The Steeldrivers – Self Titles
Jason Boland & the Stragglers – Comal Country Blue
Otis Gibbs – Grandpa Walked a Picketline
The Outsider – Rodney Crowell
Stronger – Carlene Carter
Black Cadillac – Roseanne Cash
Lonely Runs Both Ways – Allison Krauss and Union Station
The Hardest Part – Allison Moorer
The Steeldrivers – The Steeldrivers
Little Sparrow – Dolly Parton
Tough All Over – Gary Allan
and a big Canadian favourite for me – Song Dog – Jimmy Rankin
There’s probably others, but that’s all I can think of right now.
Off the top of my head, George Strait’s Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind, Cross Canadian Ragweed’s self-titled ‘purple’ album and Alan Jackson’s Who I Am.
Oh, and Greg…I thought Death Magnetic was the best thing Metallica’s done in the last 20 years. Not a throwaway on that one either, to be honest.
I must agree with Reba’s “Rumor Has It,” I love to listen to that album for a “throw-back” into the 90’s country, and I love “What If It’s You” for a more modern Reba sound- it still sounds fresh today! :)